A New Hope: From the Journals of ObiWan Kenobi
by Morwen Tindomerel
Summary: AU version of the first Star Wars movie, in a universe where Anakin doesn't turn. Finished.
1. Events Are Moving

"There is a great disturbance in the Force. Events  
are moving." Qui-Gon warned. My hermitage is quite  
small and seemed even smaller with my old Master  
standing in the middle of the cluttered single room,  
dominating it.  
  
"Yes, Master." I agreed, laddling stew into a bowl.  
"I feel it also." Frowned, trying to bring those  
feelings into clearer focus. "But I can't quite sense  
what they're moving towards."   
  
That earned me a reproving look. "Focus on the  
present, Obi-Wan, let the future take care of itself.  
Be patient."  
  
"Yes, Master." I said resignedly. To my Teacher I  
will always be his impatient Padawan. Though I do like  
to think patience is one lesson I've mastered over  
these last twenty years.  
  
He smiled. "Are you humoring me, Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Yes, Master." I set the bowl on the stone table.  
  
"Would you care to join me?"  
  
A laugh. "No thank you." he settled himself in the  
  
alcove. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. I sometimes forget you've  
grown beyond my tutelage."  
  
"Never that, Master." I disagreed quickly and  
sincerely. "I still have much to learn."   
  
Qui-Gon looked at the contents of my bowl,  
grimaced. "Cooking for one."  
****  
I woke in the pre-dawn darkness to a prickling  
presentiment of approaching danger. I hadn't forgotten  
my conversation with Qui-Gon but the Sand People had  
become alarmingly bold of late and it seemed likely  
the feeling related to them.   
  
At first light I set out to scout the Wastes.  
Quickly ran across the trail of a small raiding party  
tracking them to an arroyo not far from my hermitage.  
I found them busy looting a speeder until I scattered  
the lot with a Krayt dragon call.  
  
I didn't realize it was young Luke Skywalker they'd  
caught until I saw him sprawled inert where the  
raiders had dropped him. Knelt and quickly felt for a  
pulse, sighing in relief when I found it. I put a hand  
to his forehead reaching out to investigate the  
damage. Fortunately nothing I couldn't easily put  
right.  
  
Finished I sank back on my heels, heard a tiny  
sound and turned sharply towards it. Not a life form,  
a small droid trying to hide in a nearby crevice. I  
put back my hood to show I was human.   
  
"Hello there!" smiled reassuringly and beckoned.  
"Come here, my little friend, don't be afraid."  
  
He emerged. An Artoo unit with blue markings, not  
unlike Anakin's R2D2. Emitted a series of concerned  
whistles.  
  
"Don't worry, he'll be all right." I answered. Luke  
chose that moment to stir. He started to sit up, I  
steadied him. "Rest easy, son, you've had a busy day.  
You're fortunate to be all in one piece."  
  
He blinked at me in momentary confusion. "Ben? Ben  
Kenobi?" we'd known each other well once, before Owen  
put his foot down. But it'd been several years since  
I'd seen him except from a distance. He hadn't seen me  
at all until this moment. "Boy am I glad to see you!"  
  
"The Jundland Wastes are not to be travelled  
lightly." I scolded, getting to my feet and helping  
Luke to his. "Tell me, young Luke, what brings you out  
this far?" I was begining to suspect my presentiment  
had nothing to do with Tusken Raiders.  
  
"This little droid," he gestured towards the R2  
unit. "I think he's searching for his former master,  
but I've never seen such devotion in a droid before."  
I had. Surely it couldn't be...  
  
"Ah, he claims to be the property of an Obi-Wan  
Kenobi." that name, coming unexpectedly out of  
nowhere, hit me with almost physical force. I couldn't  
conceal my reaction. Sank back half-stunned onto a  
convenient boulder.  
  
Luke's eyes narrowed. "Is he a relative of yours?  
Do you know who he's talking about?"  
  
"Obi-Wan...Obi-Wan..." Coming from Luke the name  
sounded alien, unfamiliar like it belonged to somebody  
else. I've been Old Ben the crazy desert hermit a good  
many years now, perhaps too many. I pulled myself  
together with an effort. "Now that's a name I've not  
heard in a long time, a long time." Not counting last  
night of course.  
  
Luke's eyes were fixed on me like a targeting beam  
on an objective. "I think my uncle knows him. He said  
he was dead."  
  
I couldn't help a snort of amusement. It sounded  
like something Owen would say, and there may have been  
more truth in it than he realized. "Oh he's not dead,"  
I told Luke, "not yet." Not quite.  
  
"You know him?" he pressed.  
  
I couldn't help laughing. Obviously the boy'd  
realized the truth but wanted to hear it from me. I  
obliged. "Of course I know him. He's me!" more or  
less. "I haven't gone by the name Obi-Wan since - oh  
before you were born." Twenty years, twenty years.  
  
"Then the droid does belong to you?" Luke  
continued.  
  
"I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid." I  
mused, eyeing the R2 unit thoughtfully. "Very  
interesting."  
  
A bantha cry interupted my introspection. "I think  
we better get indoors. The Sand People are easily  
startled but they will soon be back. And in greater   
numbers."  
  
We started for the speeder only to be stopped in  
our tracks by a cacophany of agitated whistles and  
beeps from the R2 unit.  
  
"Threepio!" Luke gasped and darted off up the  
arroyo.   
  
I recovered myself, looked at the little droid. "So  
it is you, Artoo Detoo." He whistled a cheerful  
affirmation. "Well let's go see what trouble your  
counterpart's gotten himself into this time."  
  
Judging by the results See Threepio had gone over  
the edge of a short drop. He was badly dented and his  
left arm had broken off at the shoulder. Luke and I  
helped him to sit up.  
  
"Where am I?" he said with stunning unoriginality.  
"I'm sorry, sir, I must have taken a bad step."  
  
"Can you stand?" Luke asked anxiously, "We've got  
to get out of here before the Sand People return."  
  
"I don't think I can make it. You go on, Master  
Luke. There's no sense in you risking yourself on my  
account. I'm done for."  
  
Artoo bleeped a disgusted comment from the shelf  
above. Obviously Threepio hadn't changed a bit.  
  
"No you're not. What kind of talk is that." Luke  
protested, much moved.  
  
Rather more accustomed to protocol droid  
histrionics I contented myself with hauling him to his  
feet. "Quickly....they're on the move."  
  
My hermitage is quite small and rather crowded with  
odds and ends picked up in some twenty years of desert  
scavengings but it's my home. The only one I've ever  
had or will have. And I knew with inarguable certainty  
that once I left it I would never see it again. The  
thought was astonishingly painful.  
  
I dug out my toolbox for Luke so he could reattach  
Threepio's arm and settled myself on a stool leaning  
back against a post.  
  
"You got some pretty sophisticated equipment here."  
Anakin's son observed in suprise.  
  
I smiled. "I wasn't always a hermit, Luke."  
"So what else have you done?" he asked setting to  
work.   
  
"A great many things." I evaded, "studied, taught,  
even fought when I had to." that earned me an  
incredulous look. I laughed, "Is it so hard to  
believe?"  
  
"Well - uh," the boy stammered, embarrassed.  
  
"I served in the Clone Wars with your father."   
  
"No," he said, startled, "my father didn't fight in  
the wars. He was a navigator on a spice freighter."  
  
"That's what your uncle's told you." I sighed. "He  
didn't hold with your father's ideals. Thought he  
should have stayed here and not gotten involved." Owen  
never could understand that just wasn't an option. Not  
for the Chosen One, or his son.  
  
"You fought in the Clone Wars?" Luke couldn't quite  
take it in.  
  
If he thought *that* was hard to believe - "Yes. I  
was once a Jedi Knight, the same as your father."   
The past tense didn't register until I uttered it.  
Once? wasn't I still? I'd better be. Events were  
moving as Qui-Gon had said, my enforced retirement was  
over.  
  
"I wish I'd known him." Luke said softly. Meaning  
his father.  
  
"He was the best starpilot in the Galaxy," I  
remembered, "and a cunning warrior." I smiled at his  
son. "I understand you've become quite a good pilot  
yourself." Only to be expected. "And he was a good  
friend." I concluded softly. Suddenly realizing just  
how much I'd missed him all these quiet years.   
  
A friend who'd have good cause to be annoyed with  
me I recalled guiltily. "Which reminds me," I got up  
and began to rummage through a chest. "I have  
something here for you. Your father wanted you to  
have it when you got old enough, but your uncle  
wouldn't allow it. He feared you might follow old  
Obi-Wan on some damn-fool idealistic crusade like your  
father did."   
  
As if Anakin had ever followed me anywhere! Quite  
the reverse as I recall. But I should never have let  
Luke's training go like this, no matter what Owen  
threatened. What would his father say?  
  
Ah, there it was. Ani's old lightsabre, outer  
casing removed to allow for easy disassembly and  
concealment but otherwise intact. I handed it to Luke  
who stared at it blankly.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Your father's lightsabre." I explained. "This is  
the weapon of a Jedi Knight. Not as clumsy or random  
as a blaster.  
  
He switched it on, waved the blade slowly,  
cautiously, getting the feel of it. I nodded to  
myself, good it spoke to him. Resumed my seat.   
"An elegant weapon for a more civilized age. For  
over a thousand generations the Jedi Knghts were  
guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic.  
Before the dark times, before the Empire." I heard the  
bitterness in my voice, stopped.  
  
It didn't matter, Luke hadn't been listening. "How  
did my father die?"  
  
I drew a deep breath. Now the difficult  
explanations began. "He didn't. Anakin Skywalker is  
still alive."  
  
The boy stared at me in shock, unable to articulate  
the questions reflected in his eyes. I set about  
answering them as best I could.  
  
"The Emperor knew the Jedi were a threat to him,  
especially your father. He hunted down and destroyed  
as many of us as he could find. Anakin knew you'd  
share his danger if he kept you with him so he had me  
bring you here, to Tatooine, where you could grow up in  
safe annonymity. When you were old enough I was to  
give you his old lightsabre and teach you the ways of  
the Force."  
  
"The Force?" Luke echoed blankly.  
  
How to explain? "The Force is what gives a Jedi his  
power. It's an energy field created by all living  
things. It surounds us and penetrates us. It binds the  
Galaxy together."  
  
He still looked confused. I was about to try again  
when Artoo interupted, demanding my attention with a  
piercing bleep.   
  
"I beg your pardon, my little friend," I  
apologized. "You have a message for me I think?"  
  
"I saw part of it -" Luke began, cut off as a  
holograph formed on the table top. I had been  
expecting Anakin instead I saw a sleander, dark haired  
girl in the white of the Alderaanian Royal House. It  
took me a moment to realize who she must be.  
  
"General Kenobi," Anakin's daughter began formally,  
"years ago you served my father in the Clone Wars now  
he begs you to help him in his struggle against the  
Empire."  
  
Her father Bail? or was this Anakin's idea?  
  
"I regret that I am unable to present my father's  
request to you in person but my ship has fallen under  
attack and I fear my mission to bring you to Alderaan  
has failed."  
  
Attack! Was she dead then? or in the hands of the  
Empire?   
  
"I have placed information vital to the survival of  
the Rebellion into the memory of this R2 unit. My  
father will know how to retrieve it. You must see this  
droid delivered safely to him on Alderaan."  
  
Which father, I wondered. Had Anakin told Leia who  
he was? Or did she still believe herself the daughter  
of Bail Organa?  
  
"This is our most desperate hour." the hologram  
spread her hands in appeal. "Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi,  
you are my only hope." and vanished in a cloud of  
glittering static.  
  
Whatever I can do I will, child, for Anakin's  
daughter. But I fear you've chosen a broken reed to  
lean upon.  
  
I glanced a Luke, still staring at the bare  
table-top where his sister's image had stood, leaned  
forward. "You must learn the ways of the Force if  
you're to come with me to Alderaan."  
  
The boy started as if I'd awakened him from a  
dream, perhaps in a sense I had. "Alderaan!" he  
gasped, almost laughed, "I'm not going to Alderaan."  
twenty years of Owen's tutelage reasserted itself.  
"I've got to get home. It's late, I'm in for it as it  
is."  
  
"I need your help, Luke." I urged quietly, "*She*  
needs your help. I'm getting to old for this sort of  
thing." he hesitated. "Your father needs your help."  
  
That did it. "Father." Anakin's son whispered,  
swallowed. "Will he be on Alderaan."  
  
"Probably." I nodded at the droids. "Artoo and  
Threepio belong to him. He must have sent them with  
the Princess."  
  
Artoo burbled a confirmation.  
  
"Princess?" Luke repeated on a rising note.  
  
"Leia Organa of Alderaan. Her father is an old  
friend of your father's, and mine."  
  
Another swallow, followed by a deep breath. "I  
still have to go home. To tell them."  
  
I winced inwardly. There was sure to be a scene,  
Owen might do or say anything, but the boy was right.  
They were entitled to an explanation and a good-bye. I  
nodded acceptance. "You must do what you feel is  
right, of course."  
****  
  
Another feeling, a warning. "Luke, behind that  
dune!"   
  
Perhaps he sensed it too, at least he didn't start  
asking questions until we were under cover. "Why?  
What's wrong?"  
  
I didn't answer. I couldn't, I didn't know yet. I  
exited the speeder and climbed with some effort to the  
crest of the dune to peer over.  
  
Luke clammered up after me. "Ben, what is it?"  
  
I hushed him, pointed. "Imperial Stormtroopers."  
  
Fourteen of them mounted on dewbacks and heading  
right for my hermitage.  
  
"Imperials?" Luke squeaked nervously, "what are  
they doing here?"  
  
"Looking for the droids." I answered grimly. Luke  
and I would be an unexpected but very welcome bonus.  
  
We had to move fast. Owen and Beru....  
  
"How'd they know where to go?" Luke wondered. "Then  
the obvious answer hit him. "Uncle Owen!"   
  
Sand showered everywhere as he scrambled back down  
to the speeder. I only just managed to keep up with  
him.  
*****  
  
Luke was out of the speeder before it'd come to a  
full stop, hurtling towards the smoking holes that had  
once been his home shouting for Owen and Beru. I  
climbed out slowly. Weighed down by age, grief and  
guilt. Luke's cries cut off suddenly. He'd found them.  
  
Two smoking skeletal shapes in a wrecked speeder.  
Making a run for it? or charging the enemy? Knowing  
Owen a bit of both.   
  
Luke had turned away from the sight, shaking with  
harsh, dry sobs. He jumped when I put my hand on his  
shoulder.  
  
"There's nothing you could have done, Luke, had you  
been here. You'd have been killed too, and the droids  
would now be in the hands of the Empire."  
  
And that goes for you too, Old Man. I continued to  
myself. Even a Jedi can be overwhelmed by numbers and  
you are not the man you were.  
  
We didn't give them to the flames. That wouldn't  
have suited Owen. Instead we wrapped what was left of  
my brother and his wife in old cloaks and laid them  
inside the home they'd built for themselves.   
  
We climbed back outside, Luke's eyes streaming from  
smoke and emotion. Turning I reached out with the  
Force to encompass the weight of sand above the house  
and pushed. The salt plain settled some two meters as  
the house spaces collapsed sealing Owen and Beru in  
their tomb. I opened my eyes to find Luke staring at  
me in shocked disbelief.  
  
"You did that!" he blurted.  
  
I blinked at him, putting my sorrow and guilt aside  
to be delt with later. "You've seen me use the Force  
before, Luke." I reminded him.  
  
"Yeah." he agreed shakily, "Little stuff, tricks."  
  
"The principle is the same." I shrugged. "Come, the  
sooner we lose ourselves in the crowds of Mos Eisley  
the better."  
  
I'd learned to love the Tatooine backcountry over  
the years but my affection certainly didn't extend to  
the Hutt controlled port towns. Luke however was  
starry eyed at his first glimpse of a 'city'.  
  
"Mos Eisley Spaceport." I half warned, half chided.  
  
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and  
villainy. We must be cautious."  
  
I wasn't at all happy about taking Anakin's son  
into an open port controlled by Jabba the Hutt and  
doubtless crawling with Imperial stormtroopers but had  
no viable alternative. Mos Espa or Mos Eol would be no  
safer. We'd just have to trust in the Force.  
  
I directed Luke away from the relatively  
respectable part of town to the rundown port district.  
We were soon stopped by a squad of stormtroopers.  
  
My new student paled visibly as the Imperials  
crowded around us but piped right up when asked "How  
long have you had these droids?"  
  
"Three or four seasons."  
  
"They're for sale if you want them." I put in  
falling back into my desert scavenger persona.  
  
"Let me see your identification." the Trooper  
demanded.  
  
I exerted the Force. "You don't need to see his  
identification."  
  
"We don't need to see his identification." the  
Trooper agreed.  
  
"These aren't the droids you're looking for." I  
continued.  
  
Luke's eyes flashed from me to the Stormtrooper as  
the man obediently repeated, "These aren't the droids  
we're looking for."   
  
"He can go about his business." I suggested.  
"You can go about your business." said my echo.  
  
"Move along." I advised Luke.  
  
"Move along, move along." the Trooper chimed in  
waving us on our way.  
  
"Turn in here." I directed and got another  
uncertain look from my student as he obeyed, pulling  
up in front of a tumbedown blockhouse.  
  
A Jawa scurried up as we parked, fondled the  
speeder longingly. Luke shooed it away. "Go on, go  
on."  
  
"I can't abide those Jawas." Threepio sniffed  
haughtily. "Disgusting creatures."  
  
I'd thought so too once. I'd learned better but  
there's no point in arguing with a droid.  
  
"I can't understand how we got by those troops."  
Luke rattled on. "I thought we were dead."  
  
"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak  
minded." I replied, answering the question he hadn't  
quite asked.   
  
No doubt about it, his new awarness of my powers was  
making Luke very uneasy. He changed the subject  
looking dubiously at the cantina. "Do you really think  
we'll find a pilot *here* to take us to Alderaan?"  
  
"Most of the best freighter pilots can be found  
here." I explained. "Only watch your step, this place  
can be rough."  
  
I admit I underestimated the impact of the  
cantina's millieu on young Luke. His father, at age  
ten, hadn't turned a hair when Qui-Gon and I'd taken  
him into a similar place on Corellia. But then Anakin  
had spent his early years in the roughest part of Mos  
Espa. His son had led a considerably more sheltered  
life.  
  
I approached a Corellian in a shipsuit and  
announced I was looking for a charter. He directed me  
to a seven foot tall Wookie. I managed a greeting in  
my rusty Kashhyk'ka. My accent had always been  
atrocious and twenty years disuse hadn't improved it.  
Still it got us off on the right foot. Chewbacca was  
delighted by my courtesy and warmed to me at once.   
He readily admitted he and his partner were  
available for charter, hinted that they were in fact  
badly in need of one. Naturally I didn't pry. He  
offered to introduce me to his captain. I accepted,  
then realized my student was in trouble.  
  
Fear attracts the fearful as Ani used to say and  
poor Luke was definitely fearful in these strange  
surroundings. An alien and a human, even less savory  
than the usual run of customers, had him cornered  
against the bar.   
  
I tried to sooth the waters. "This little one's not  
worth the trouble." I told the human, putting a  
steadying hand on Luke's shoulder. "Come let me get  
you something." Nine times out of ten an offer of a  
drink will defuse any barroom confrontation.  
  
Unfortunately this was one of those tenth times.  
The human, apparently fastening on me as a more  
worthy opponent, hurled Luke out of the way and pulled  
a blaster.  
  
My lightsabre had ignited and sliced through  
blaster and human before I'd I chance to think. The  
alien tried to draw and I cut away both arm and gun  
with a backhanded strike. Then paused - engard -  
searching for further threats. Happily nobody seemed  
interested in avenging the pair. Eyes veered uneasily  
away from my gaze as nearby patrons self-consciously  
resumed their drinks and conversations.  
  
I extinguished my sabre realizing two things; first  
my Jedi reflexes were in rather better order than I'd  
thought. Second I'd just made a serious, if  
unavoidable, mistake. This would be talked about and  
when the Imperials heard they'd know what it meant. We  
had to move fast.  
  
I helped a dazed Luke out of the ruins of the table  
he'd been flung into. "I'm all right." he mumbled,  
staring at me in disbelief.  
  
"Chewbacca here is first mate on a ship that might  
suit us." I told him, ignoring what had just happened.  
*****  
  
Luke Skywalker: I'd just lost the only home, the  
only family I'd ever known but I was doing my best not  
to think about it just then. Ben obliged by giving me  
a lot else to think about.  
  
I'd known him most of my life, though I hadn't seen  
much of him in the last few years, but now I was  
realizing I didn't know him at all.   
  
I think I'd always sensed there was more to him  
than the crazy hermit act he put on in front of most  
people, but he'd never let me see much of the real  
Ben. Until now. It was quite a revelation.  
*****  
  
The moment I laid eyes on Chewbacca's partner I  
knew this man was going to be important to Luke's  
destiny. I didn't know then how important. his Force  
presence was unusually strong.  
  
"Han Solo. I'm Captain of the Millenium Falcon." he  
introduced himself. "Chewie here tells me you're  
looking for passage to the Alderaan system."  
  
"Yes indeed." I replied, "If it's a fast ship."  
  
He gave me a disbelieving glare. "Fast ship? You've  
never heard of the Millenium Falcon?"  
  
Restraining a smile I widened my eyes innocently.  
"Should I have?"  
  
"It's the ship that made the Kessel run in less  
than twelve parsecs!" he snapped back, annoyed.  
  
I sensed he was telling the truth but knew better  
than to let him see I was impressed.   
  
"I've outrun Imperial starships," he continued with  
some heat, "not the local bulk cruisers, mind you. I'm  
talking about the big Corellian ships now. She's fast  
enough for you, old man." rubbed thumb against  
forefinger. "What's the cargo?"  
  
"Only passengers." I responded. "Myself, the boy,  
two droids," leaned forward letting my voice drop for  
emphasis. "and no questions asked."  
  
Han grinned. "What is it? Some kind of local  
trouble?"   
  
Would that it were. "Let's just say we'd like to  
avoid any Imperial entanglements." I said settling  
back in my chair.  
  
"Well that's the real trick isn't it? And it's  
going to cost you something extra." a pause then -  
"Ten thousand, all in advance."  
  
Luke, predictably, failed to recognize a bargaining  
gambit when he heard it and was appalled. "Ten  
thousand? We could almost buy our own ship for that!"   
"But who's going to fly it, kid? You?" Han mocked.  
"You bet I could." Luke snapped back. "I'm not such  
a bad pilot myself!"  
  
True but I wasn't about to trust him with a  
hyper-jump. For that matter I had more thousands of  
hours of flight time than either of them had been  
alive but that was beside the point.  
  
"We don't have to sit here and listen to this -"  
Luke told me, starting to rise.  
  
I hauled him back down. "We can pay you two  
thousand now," I was sure I could scrape that much  
together - "plus fifteen when we reach Alderaan."  
  
"Seventeen, huh!" he pretended to pounder it but I  
knew I had him. "Okay. You guys got yourselves a ship.  
We'll leave as soon as you're ready. Docking bay  
ninety-four."  
  
"Ninety-four." I repeated.  
  
His eyes slid past me. "Looks like somebody's  
begining to take an interest in your handiwork."  
I glanced over my shoulder. Four stormtroopers were  
talking to the bartender. I touched Luke's shoulder  
and he gave me a look of near panic. "We'll be there  
within the hour." I told Han, rising unhurriedly.  
Quick movement would only call attention to us. Took  
Luke by the arm and steered him through the crowd to  
the back door.  
  
"You'll have to sell your speeder." I told him as  
we emerged into the street, pulling up my hood against  
the blazing double sunlight.  
  
I'd half expected an argument but - "That's okay.  
I'm never coming back to this planet again."  
Oh yes you are, I found myself thinking, someday. 


	2. There Are Alternatives

We stashed the droids in a rented room before  
seeking out one of Mos Eisley's innumberable used  
speeder lots. I let Luke do the bargaining dispite his  
lack of experience. The only way to learn is to do and  
it was his speeder.  
  
"Look at this." He complained displaying a handful  
a coins and credit chips. "Ever since the  
XP-thirty-eight came out, they just aren't in demand."  
  
"It will be enough." I replied, hurrying him  
through the dusty back alleys. My feelings told me we  
were being followed, watched. Nothing to do about it  
but keep moving and hope to stay a step ahead of our  
pursuers.  
  
We collected the droids and headed for docking bay  
Ninety-four. Found Chewbacca waiting impatiently just  
outside it. It seemed our crew had their own reasons  
for being in a hurry.   
  
I admit I was more than a little taken aback by my  
first view of the Millenium Falcon. I reminded myself  
of the numerous Jedi aphorisms on the deceptive nature  
of appearances and that I was looking a bit old and  
battered myself these days.  
  
Luke's reaction was forthright. "What a piece of  
junk!"  
  
Han emerged from beneath the ship glaring  
defensively. "She'll make point five past lightspeed.  
She may not look like much but she's got it where it  
counts, kid. I've made a lot of special modifications  
myself."  
  
I sensed his sincerity. Of course self-deception  
couldn't be entirely ruled out.  
  
"But we're a little rushed, so if you'll get on  
board we'll get out of here."  
  
I wondered what Han and Chewbacca were running  
from. Hutt trouble most likely.  
  
We boarded seconds before a detachment of Imperial  
troops stormed the docking bay. We heard the whistle  
of blaster fire then Han was hurtling past us on his  
way to the cockpit shouting, "Chewie, get us out of  
here!"  
  
I have experienced smoother take offs but none  
faster. We'd cleared the atmosphere by the time Luke  
and I'd unstrapped and joined our pilots in the  
cockpit.  
  
Unfortunately our troubles weren't over yet. A  
glance at the scanners showed no less than two  
Imperial Star Destroyers in hot pursuit. I would have  
been flattered if I hadn't known it was the droids, or  
rather the plans in Artoo they were after. Then the  
situation took a turn for the worse.  
  
"Look sharp." Han snapped to his co-pilot, "There  
are two more coming in; they're going to try to cut us  
off."  
  
"Why don't you outrun them?" Luke demanded. "I  
thought you said this thing was fast." That boy has a  
lot to learn about diplomacy.  
  
"Watch your mouth, kid, or you're going to find  
yourself floating home!" Han snarled. I couldn't blame  
him, Luke should know better than to insult a man's  
ship. "We'll be safe enough once we make the jump to  
hyperspace. Besides I know a few maneuvers. We'll lose  
them."  
  
I certainly hoped so. A warning shot whitened the  
space outside the ports, rattling the cockpit.  
  
"Here's where the fun begins." Han grinned  
sardonically.  
  
"How long before you can make the jump to  
lightspeed?" I asked. I wasn't worried about being  
blasted into particles, they'd want the droids intact,  
but if we were boarded...Well, even in my prime I  
couldn't have stood off an entire destroyer crew.  
  
"It'll take a few moments to get the co-ordinates  
from the nav. computer." Han answered. His words  
punctuated by another shot, this time a hit at half  
power.  
  
"Are you kidding? At the rate they're gaining...!"  
Luke shrilled.  
  
I gave him a reproving look. Han was more vocal.  
"Travelling through hyperspace isn't like dusting  
crops, boy! Without precise calculations we could fly  
right through a star or bounce to close to a supernova  
and that'd end your trip real quick, wouldn't it?"  
  
The firing was continuous now, rocking the ship. A  
light winked red on the control board.  
  
"What's that flashing?" Luke demanded, near panic.  
  
Han knocked his frantically pointing hand out of  
the way. "We're losing deflector shield. Go strap  
yourselves in. I'm going to make the jump to  
lightspeed."  
  
Of course we were right back in the cockpit the  
second the shift was complete. Luke gaped fascinated  
at the whiteness outside the ports as I slid into the  
seat at the scanner station and recalibrated for  
hyperspace.   
  
"Two of the Imperials are still with us." I  
reported.   
  
"Don't worry," Han replied, lounging in his pilot's  
chair. "We'll lose 'em." swivled round to give me a  
calculating look. "So what'd you guys do anyway? Steal  
the Imperial Treasury?"  
  
I couldn't resist a mischievious grin. "Much  
worse."  
  
"Killed an Imperial Governor?" he guessed.  
"Not recently." I admitted.  
  
"Then what?"  
  
I beckoned and as he leaned forward whispered in a  
conspiratorial undertone. "Would you believe I'm a  
Jedi Knight carrying vital information to the Rebel  
leadership?"  
  
"No" he whispered back.  
  
I laughed. The answer I'd expected. Sometimes the  
truth is much more unbelievable than any lie.   
"Come along, Luke, let's get started."  
  
My new apprentice blinked, jarred out of his day  
dreams. "Started?"  
  
"You said you wanted to learn the ways of the  
Force." I reminded him.  
****  
  
Han Solo: So I asked the old man what he and the  
kid had done to make themselves so interesting to the  
Imps. He got this twinkle in his eye, beckoned me  
closer and asked if I'd believe he was a Jedi Knight  
carrying secret information for the Rebels.  
  
That's when I started to like the old guy. He might  
be a crazy old desert rat but he had a sense of humor.  
And one a lot like mine. That was just the kind of  
smart aleck answer I'd give if somebody got snoopy.  
  
Of course the real joke was the old man'd just told  
me the exact truth. Confident I wouldn't believe a  
word of it. He was right.  
****  
  
I steered Luke back to the main cabin trying to  
decide where to start. Since we were plunging right  
into the middle of a war combat skills had best come  
first. Besides the sabre discipline is a good basic  
exercise.  
  
I set my student in the middle of the floor,  
stepped back a pace or so facing him. "Watch me."  
I demonstrated a simple draw and the basic grip.  
"Hold it *so* so the blade will be at ready position  
when ignited."  
  
"Is that how you did that quick draw in the  
cantina?" Luke wanted to know.  
  
"Basics first, Luke," I chided mildly. "You must be  
patient." I swear I heard Qui-Gon chuckle. Remembeing  
a certain young padawan who'd gotten very tired of  
those words I had trouble keeping my own face  
straight.   
  
"Yes, sir" my student said reluctantly. Awkwardly  
imitated my movements.  
  
"Now stance." I demonstrated. Right foot foreward,  
left back and at an angle, both well apart.  
  
Luke rearranged his feet, frowning in  
concentration. "Like this?"  
  
"That's fine. Now watch *carefully*." I activated  
my lightsabre. "from this stance you can attack -  
defend - advance - or withdraw." I moved through  
strike, block, thrust and disingage. Deactivated and  
watched Luke imitate the movements with fair accuracy.  
I had him repeat the exercise until he was comfortable  
with draw, grip and stance.  
  
"Now let me show you the basic drill." I reignited  
my sabre and ran through the first four figures at  
about half speed. Finishing with a full turn strike.  
"You see?"  
  
Luke stared at me round eyed. He swallowed. "Uh -  
could you do that again, a little slower?"  
  
"I thought that was slow." I repeated the routine  
at what felt like a crawl. "Got it?"  
  
"I think so." he said doubtfully.  
  
"Now you try."  
  
"Uh -"  
  
I reminded myself Luke didn't have the years of  
training and conditioning behind him that a normal  
padawan had, and whose fault was that?  
  
"Here, mirror me."  
  
We went through the drill in unison several times  
until Luke's movements smoothed out. Then I started  
adding further figures and working on his speed.  
  
"Time for a rest." I said at last.  
  
"I'm not tired." Luke protested, eyes shining.  
  
"But I am," I laughed, "have mercy on your elders,  
son!"  
  
He was instantly apologetic. "I'm sorry, Ben, I  
wasn't thinking." taking my arm he guided me to a  
seat, all solicitude for his aged instructor. "Can I  
get you something? A glass of water?"  
  
"That won't be necessary." I assured him, amused  
but a little annoyed as well. I may be old but I'm not  
quite decrepit! Still it was a pity to waste all that  
youthful energy....  
  
"Chewbacca," the Wookiee looked up from the holo  
chess game he was playing against Artoo. "Do you have  
any seeker remotes on board?"  
  
He growled a response.  
  
Which I interpreted for my student. "That upper  
left compartment, Luke. Yes, one of those globes.  
Bring it here." I adjusted the settings then tossed  
the remote into the air. It hovered waiting.  
  
"I want you to block the stinger beams with your  
lightsabre blade." I instructed.   
  
Luke stared at me in disbelief. "That's  
impossible!"  
  
I shook my head. Anakin's son had much to unlearn.  
Got up and moved back onto the floor activating my  
sabre. The remote oriented itself on me, fired a quick  
triple burst. My blade flickered through the air  
blocking all three bolts. I deactivated and turned  
back to my astounded pupil.  
  
"All things are possible with the Force, Luke."  
  
He closed his mouth and blinked his eyes back into  
their sockets but still looked uncertain.  
  
"If I tired old man can do it," I continued  
teasingly, "so can you."  
  
"I'll try." he said doubtfully.  
  
"Do or do not!" I snapped, quoting Yoda, "There is  
no 'try'."  
  
He took a deep breath. "Okay then, I'll do it."  
  
"That's the spirit." I approved, moved off the  
floor.  
  
Luke ignited his lightsabre, settled rather self  
consciously into ready stance eyeing the remote warily  
as it maneuvered around him.  
  
I stood off to the side watching. Then it hit me. A  
disturbance of the Force more powerful than I'd  
ever felt before. Darkness swam before my eyes. I  
groped shakily back to my seat.  
  
"Are you all right?" Luke's voice, concerned even  
alarmed, reached me from a great distance. "What's  
wrong?"  
  
He hadn't felt it then. Just as well, the boy'd had  
enough shocks for one day. "I felt a great disturbance  
in the Force..." I answered. Struggling to put what  
I'd experienced into words. "..as if millions of  
voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly  
silenced." I'd sensed death before, too many times.  
But never on this scale. "I fear something terrible  
has happened."  
  
Luke touched my shoulder tentatively, wanting to  
help but not knowing how. I made an effort to pull  
myself together for the boy's sake. "You'd better get  
on with your exercises."  
  
Reluctantly he moved back to the floor, shooting me  
a worried look over his shoulder.  
  
I leaned my head on my hand, pushed away my fears.  
I would know what had happened soon enough. Forget the  
past and future, I told myself quoting Qui-Gon, focus  
on the moment. Be mindful of the Living Force.  
  
Han entered smugly pleased with himself for finally  
losing the last of our pursuers, and more than a  
little disgruntled by our lack of appreciation.  
"Don't everybody thank me at once." he grumbled.  
"Anyway we should be at Alderaan at about oh-two  
hundred hours."  
  
Luke successfully deflected two stinger bolts and  
shot me a triumphant look. Then Chewbacca let out a  
roar drawing all eyes to the gaming table.  
  
Apparently he'd just lost a piece to Artoo and  
wasn't at all happy about it. Wookiees as a rule are  
not good losers. As Han was quick to point out.   
  
"Let him have it. It's not wise to upset a  
Wookiee."  
  
"But sir," Threepio protested. "Nobody worries  
about upsetting a droid."  
  
"That's because a droid don't pull people's arms  
out of their sockets when they lose. Wookiees are  
known to do that."  
  
Threepio flinched. "I see your point, sir." turned  
to his counterpart. "I suggest a new strategy, Artoo.  
Let the Wookiee win."  
  
The astrodroid vented a loud protest while  
  
Chewbacca preened himself in satisfaction. I pulled my  
attention back to my pupil where it belonged.  
  
Luke caught another bolt but he was tense,  
overcontrolling. "Remember," I told him, "a Jedi can  
feel the Force flowing through him."  
  
He shot me a quick, nervous glance. "You mean it  
controls your actions?"   
  
"Partially." I admitted. "But it also obeys your  
commands." It's difficult to describe a Jedi's  
relationship to the Force in a few words, or any words  
for that matter. In time Luke would learn for himself  
what it meant to be at one with It.  
  
Suddenly the seeker remote feinted then lunged,  
zapping Luke on the thigh.  
  
Han laughed. "Hokey religions and ancient weapons  
are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."  
  
Luke deactivated his sabre. "You don't believe in  
the Force do you?" he challenged.  
  
"Kid, I've been from one side of this Galaxy to the  
other," Han drawled. "I've seen a lot of strange  
stuff, but I've never seen anything to make me believe  
there's one all-powerful force controlling  
everything."  
  
He glared at me, sensing my amusement through the  
very Force he was denying. "There's no mystical energy  
field that controls *my* destiny!" he concluded  
defiantly. "It's all a lot of simple tricks and  
nonsense."  
  
Poor Han. He was already caught fast in the Force's  
toils. Struggle as he might there'd be no avoiding his  
destiny now.  
  
I took a helmet down from the bulkhead. "I suggest  
you try it again, Luke." carried it over to him and  
popped it on his head. "This time let go your  
conscious self and act on instinct."  
  
His hand went automatically to the lowered visor.  
"But with the blast shield down I can't even see." he  
protested. "How am I supposed to fight?"  
"Your eyes can decieve you." I told him. "Don't  
trust them."  
  
He reactivated his sabre, doubt hanging around him  
in an almost tangible cloud. The remote maneuvered,  
fired caught him on the arm.  
"Owww!"  
  
"Stretch out with your feelings!" I counselled.  
  
And he did. I felt the Force stir, then Luke's  
blade flashed up to catch the first stinger bolt a  
split second before the remote fired, then a second  
and third. He deactivated and pulled off the helmet to  
stare at me with a mixture of disbelief and delight.  
  
I smiled at him. "You see, you can do it."  
  
"I call it luck." Han grumbled, impressed but  
determined not to show it.  
  
"In my experience there's no such thing as luck." I  
fired back over my shoulder.  
  
"Look," he argued, "good against remotes is one  
thing. Good against the living? That's something  
else."  
  
He was quite right. It's much easier against a  
living opponent with a Force presence to read. But of  
course that's not what he'd meant.  
  
A warning light flashed. "Looks like we're coming  
up on Alderaan." Han and Chewbacca headed for the  
cockpit.  
  
Luke came up to me. "You know I did feel  
something." he confided. "I could almost see the  
remote."  
  
"That's good." I congratulated, clapping him on the  
shoulder. "You've taken your first step into a larger  
world."  
  
The ship juddered under our feet. "They're shooting  
at us again!" Luke cried.  
  
"No," I corrected, listening carefully. "sounds  
like asteroids."  
  
I'm not sure Luke heard, he was already charging up  
the passage to the cockpit. I followed at a more  
measured pace. There weren't any asteroid fields or  
other navigational hazards in the Alderaan system. I  
had a very bad feeling about this.  
  
"Our position is correct," Han was telling Luke as  
I arrived. "except...no Alderaan."  
  
I closed my eyes. No. Oh, no.  
  
"What do you mean?" my student demanded, "Where is  
it?"  
  
"That's what I'm trying to tell you, kid. It isn't  
there. It's been totally blown away."  
  
Death on a scale I'd never experienced before. An  
entire planet. A beautiful, peaceful world with  
millions of inhabitants. All gone.  
  
"What? How?" Luke couldn't grasp it.  
  
"Destroyed, by the Empire." I answered.  
Anakin...Leia.....  
  
Han disagreed. "The entire starfleet couldn't  
destroy the whole planet." he argued. "It'd take a  
thousand ships with more firepower than I've -" he was  
interupted by the proximity alarm. "There's another  
ship coming in."  
  
"Maybe they know what happened." Luke suggested  
hopefully.  
  
But I'd seen enough of the scanner readout to say  
with certainty. "It's an Imperial fighter."  
  
An explosion of laser fire rocked the cockpit as  
the finned, globular shape of a TIE fighter flashed  
past.  
  
"It followed us!" Luke exclaimed.  
  
"No." I said, glancing again at the scanners. "It's  
a short range fighter."  
  
"There aren't any bases around here." Han pointed  
out. "Where'd it come from?"  
  
He was right. I made an effort to pull myself  
together, to think.   
  
"Sure is leaving in a big hurry." Luke observed.  
"If they identify us we're in big trouble."  
  
"Not if I can help it!" Han snapped. "Chewie, jam  
it's transmissions."  
  
"It would be as well to let it go." I told him,  
"It's too far out of range."  
  
"Not for long." he answered, intent on his target.  
I shook my head. No point in arguing with him.  
Still...the little ship's presence troubled me. "A  
fighter that size couldn't get this deep into space on  
it's own."  
  
"It must have gotten lost, been part of a convoy or  
something." Luke suggested.  
  
Well he ain't going to be around long enough to  
tell anybody about us." said Han. I had to give him  
full points for focus.  
  
I was feeling decidedly blurry myself, from shock  
and barely controlled grief. Aldera, the grasslands,  
the university...all gone. It was unbelievable.   
  
"He's heading for that small moon." Luke said  
pointing.  
  
Moon? Alderaan had no moons.  
  
"I think I can get him before he get's there." Han  
was saying, "He's almost in range."  
  
There is nothing like imminent danger for  
concentrating the mind. Suddenly I *knew*. "That's no  
moon! It's a space station." the station that had  
destroyed Alderaan.  
  
Han, of course, had to argue. "It's too big to be a  
space station."  
  
"I have a very bad feeling about this." Luke said  
suddenly, perhaps picking up the same darkness I  
sensed eminating from the thing.  
  
"Turn the ship around!" I ordered.  
  
"Yeah," maybe Han was feeling it too. "I think  
you're right. Full reverse! Chewie, lock in the  
auxillary power."  
  
Too late. The ship shuddered as a tractor beam took  
hold. The Wookiee moaned in distress.  
  
"Chewie, lock in the auxillary power!" Han shouted,  
then reached over and did it himself as his partner  
stared transfixed at the station inexorably growing in  
our ports.  
  
It wasn't going to work. No matter how many  
'special modifications' Han had made to her the Falcon  
couldn't possibly be a match for that colossus.  
  
"Why are we still moving towards it?" Luke  
shrilled.  
  
I was going to have to work on that boy's emotional  
control. Not that he didn't have every right to be  
concerned.   
  
"We're locked in a tractor beam." Han explained  
impatiently. "They're pulling us in."  
  
"There's got to be something you can do!"  
  
Fortunately the full implications of Alderaan's  
destruction hadn't registered on Luke yet. I only  
hoped I'd be able to cope when it finally did. To lose  
his father so soon after learning of his existence and  
without ever seeing him....  
  
"There's nothing I can do about it, kid. I'm at  
full power. I'm going to have to shut down." Han  
reached across to snap off a series of controls. Set  
his jaw. "They're not getting me without a fight!"  
  
I approved of his spirit but felt it could be put  
to more practical use. "You can't win." I told him,  
"but there are alternatives to fighting."  
  
He turned to me, asked grudgingly, "What do you  
have in mind?"  
  
"Luke get the droids." I told my student. As he  
left I continued to Han. "You are a smuggler aren't  
you, Captain Solo? I presume you have shielded holds."  
He nodded slowly. "Yeah, that could work." turned  
to his co-pilot. "Set the helm on automatic, Chewie."  
swung back to me and frowned. "What d'you think you're  
doing?"  
  
"Making a few alterations to your log." I replied,  
tapping away at the auxillary board. "I hope you don't  
have a full compliment of escape pods, Captain."  
  
"The two I got don't work." He snorted. "We lose  
the Falcon there's not much point in me and Chewie  
outliving her."  
  
"I understand." I finished my modifications and  
switched them to a monitor on the captain's console.   
He arched an appreciative eyebrow. "Abandoned ship  
right after launch eh? They might buy it."  
  
"At least until they hear from Tatooine." I agreed.  
And found myself exchanging a conspiratorial grin with  
our captain.  
  
I like the fellow. He reminds me of Ani, and  
perhaps a little of myself back when I was young and  
reckless.  
  
We found Luke waiting with the droids in the main  
corridor.  
  
"Please, sir, what's happening?" Threepio all but  
wailed at me.  
  
"A great deal, as usual." I answered.  
  
Han and Chewbacca lifted a floorplate revealing a  
cramped cargo space. "Okay, Goldenrod, in you go."  
  
"Sir?" the droid echoed blankly.  
  
Han didn't bother to explain. "Chewie!"  
  
The Wookiee picked Threepio up off his feet and  
dropped him unceremoniously into the hold.   
  
"Ahhhh! Master Luke, help!" he wailed as he swung  
up, followed by the crash as he landed and a low  
moaned, "Oh dear, oh dear!"  
  
"Now the little one." Han directed.  
  
Artoo bleeped a bit as he was lowered into the  
cargo space but characteristically made nothing like  
the fuss his counterpart had.  
  
"You next." Han told me with a look that added, 'You  
deal with the neurotic droid!'   
  
I climbed in, smiling faintly. It wasn't as if I  
hadn't had plenty of practice doing exactly that.  
  
Threepio moaned again as Han and Chewbacca lowered  
the floorplate into place, plunging us in darkness.  
  
"Threepio."  
  
"Sir?" he whimpered.  
  
"Quiet." I ordered.  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"In fact," I continued on a sudden inspiration. "It  
would be best if you both shut down."  
  
"Yes, sir." Threepio said, with some relief. His  
yellow eye-glow went out.  
  
Artoo bleeped assent and his sensors dimmed.  
  
I closed my own eyes, tried to relax. Either it  
would work or it wouldn't. Either way worrying about  
it wouldn't change a thing.  
  
The ship jolted as we passed through the retaining  
field and into the docking bay, settled heavily to the  
deck. The hatch opened and armoured feet sounded  
overhead as stormtroopers conducted a cursory search.  
  
I reached out with the Force to try and read their  
reactions and touched the Dark, chill presence of a  
Sith. I recoiled into myself, went passive trying to  
fade into the flow of the Living Force. Felt the dark  
one pass by, groping for but not finding me.   
  
Not Palpatine, I would have known him at once, and  
he me. Another, doubtless his latest apprentice. Yet  
there was something elusively familiar about him...  
  
I heard the last of the troopers tramp overhead to  
the hatch, waited a moment then stood up. The  
floorplate lifted easily from below.  
  
I looked over to see Luke and Han had also emerged.  
The latter gave me a harried look. "This is  
ridiculous. Even if I could take off I'd never get  
past the tractor beam."  
  
I smiled. "Leave that to me."  
  
"Damn fool." he said without heat, hoisting himself  
out of the hold. "I knew you'd say that."  
  
"Who's the more foolish," I teased, "the fool, or  
the fool who follows him?"  
  
Chewbacca gave his opinion in an unhappy yowl.  
Apparently he'd had previous experience of Imperial  
hospitality. So had I, and more than shared his  
apprehension. Still, there was a certain excitement,  
something I hadn't felt for a long time...a long time.  
  
Han patted his partner's head reassuringly. "It'll  
be okay, pal."  
  
I climbed out of the hold, with a little help from  
Luke, moved towards the hatch in time to catch a drift  
of conversation from below, warned, "A scanner crew's  
coming aboard."   
  
Han grinned ferally. "Leave that to me, old timer."  
Or rather up to Chewbacca. The Wookiee simply  
picked the two men up, knocked their heads together  
and dropped them unconscious to the deck as the  
scanner box fell from their grasp with a reverberating  
crash that made Luke jump.  
  
"Hey down there!" Han called through the hatch.  
"Could you give us a hand with this?"  
  
The stormtroopers guarding the companionway  
obediently marched in and were briskly downed by two  
shots of Han's blaster. He was a fine marksman,  
and doubtless had had plenty of practice.   
  
"Now what?" A wide-eyed Luke wanted to know.  
  
"Now you two boys join the Imperial forces." I  
answered. "Get into that armor."  
  
"Hold on a minute," Han interupted, "That wasn't  
part of the deal!"  
  
I gave him a look. "You'd rather stay here?"  
  
He took my point. Bent to strip the armor off the  
nearest stormtrooper grumbling, "The things I do for  
money."  
  
Standard issue fit Han well enough but was a bit to  
large for Luke. I helped him adjust the helmet.  
"There. Can you see now?"  
  
"Kinda." He said dubiously.  
  
It would have to do. "Chewbacca, lift the droids  
out please."  
  
"Aww, couldn't we leave them here?" Han complained  
as his partner complied.  
  
"No." I answered briefly, bending to rap on  
Threepio's bronzed skull and Artoo's dome. Best to  
stay together, with a Sith aboard anything could  
happen. We might have to abandon the Falcon and steal  
an Imperial transport.   
  
"Are we safe?" Threepio asked upon resuming  
consciousness.  
  
"For the moment." I told him. "We're aboard the  
Imperial station."  
  
"Oh no!"  
  
The usually phlegmatic Artoo emitted a stream of  
agitated bleeps and whistles. I don't understand him  
as well as Ani does, but I got the gist.  
  
"Yes I know, Artoo, I'm working on it."  
  
"What do we do now?" Luke asked.  
  
"Head for the gantry office." I replied. "We should  
  
be able to get the technical information we need  
there."  
  
"Right." Han agreed. "Chewie and me'll handle the  
Imps. Kid, stay here and play sentry. We don't want  
them getting suspicious."  
  
Luke looked to me and I nodded confirmation.   
  
"Let's go." Han headed down the ramp with his  
partner at his heels. I followed with the droids.  
  
An open lift took us up to gantry level. "Threepio,  
stay close to Artoo." I instructed. "Try and keep him  
out of trouble."  
  
The protocol droid sniffed. "That, sir, is beyond  
the power of mere gears and circuits! But I will do my  
best."  
  
I supressed a grin as Artoo whistled an indignant  
retort.  
  
The second the gate opened Han and Chewbacca were  
charging down the passage to the office. By the time  
the droids and I caught up they'd disposed of both  
gantry officers.  
  
Luke arrived a few seconds later, pressed the door  
control, pulled off his helmet and snapped, "You know,  
between his howling and your blasting everything in  
sight, it's a wonder the whole station doesn't know  
we're here!"  
  
"Bring 'em on!" Han flared back, "I prefer a  
straight fight to all this sneaking around."  
  
I understood his point of view, I'd preferred  
action to stealth myself at his age, but a 'straight  
fight' under these circumstances was to say the least  
inadvisable.  
  
"We found the computer outlet, sir,." Threepio  
piped.  
  
"Plug in." I ordered. "He should be able to  
interpret the entire Imperial network." Artoo is *not*  
your average astro-droid.  
  
He obeyed and in a few moments found the  
information I needed and put it on monitor.  
  
"The tractor beam is coupled to the main reactor in  
seven locations." Threepio said, interpreting for  
Artoo, "A power loss at any one of the terminals will  
allow the ship to leave."  
  
I located the nearest terminal, memorized the route  
to it, and came to a decision. "I don't think you boys  
can help, I must go alone."  
  
"Whatever you say." Han replied, sprawling into a  
chair. "I've done more than I bargained for on this  
trip already."   
  
So he had. And I was going to have to think of some  
way to pay his fee. Maybe we could raid the Imperial  
treasury...If nothing else I would enjoy watching his  
face when I suggested it.  
  
Luke trailed me to the door. "I want to go with  
you."  
  
"Be patient, Luke" I soothed, sounding more than  
ever like Qui-Gon. "Stay here and watch over the  
droids."   
  
"But he can -" the boy began.  
  
I cut him off. "They must be delivered safely or  
other star systems will suffer Alderaan's fate."  
Though how we were going to get in touch with the  
Rebels now our only contact was gone...I dismissed the  
thought. Focus on the moment.  
  
I sensed the possibility this parting might be for  
good. If that happened I prayed the Force would guide  
and protect him for he'd have no other ally. I put a  
hand on his shoulder. "Your destiny lies along a  
different path from mine." and as I said it, I knew it  
for truth. Luke must not come with me.  
  
The door opened. I glanced aside checking the  
corridor then turned back to my student. "The Force  
will be with you," I promised, "always."   
  
And with Its help so would I.  
  



	3. Luke, This Is Your Father

The station's corridors were lit by grilled wall  
panels creating useful areas of shadow. I melted into  
one as a detachment of stormtroopers marched past.  
Emerged to continue on my way and caught a sense of  
the Sith's presence nearby. Drew my lightsabre before  
moving on down the passage. I would have to face him  
eventually I knew, but I'd deactivate the tractor beam  
first. Whatever happened to me Luke *must* escape.   
Gradually the dark presence faded behind me.  
Apparently he was in no hurry for our confrontation  
either. I returned my sabre to my belt.  
  
The corridors were practically deserted, connecting  
little used technical installations near the outer  
hull. Living quarters and control centers would be  
located deep inside the station, protected by layers  
of outer decks.  
  
Yet I was all but overwhelmed by a presentiment of  
incipient disaster. A warning from the Force, or just  
nerves? I wasn't used to this kind of thing anymore.  
Perhaps I was growing timorous in my old age.  
  
I drew my sabre again, before entering the power  
trench, convinced I would meet with some last minute  
obstacle. But the walkway was empty and silent except  
for the hum of power conduits.   
  
I stepped off onto the narrow ledge encircling  
power terminal. Edged carefully around it, trying to  
ignore the yawning gulf below. I've never been fond of  
heights.  
  
I found the power switch and closed it. Then edged  
on to the next panel to make the necessary  
adjustments. I finished them just in time. The sound  
of marching armored feet broke the stillness, I just  
had time to restore the power beam before a trio of  
stormtroopers entered.  
  
"Give me regular reports." the officer told the  
other two and left.  
  
The troopers turned to each other. I sensed  
confusion, some irritation - and a buried  
apprehension.  
  
"Do you know what's going on?"  
  
A shrug. "Maybe it's another drill."  
  
So far I'd had the terminal between me and the  
guards but I'd be in plain view the moment I stepped  
onto the walkway. They were facing away from me as  
they gossiped about some new model fighter but I  
insured their continued inattention by projecting an  
illusion of sound and movement into the corridor  
behind them as I made my escape in the opposite  
direction.  
  
The corridors were no longer deserted. I found  
myself dodging detachment after detachment of  
stormtroopers apparently in hot pursuit of a group of  
fugitives. Comlink conversations said something about  
a prisoner escaping from the detention cells. I didn't  
need the Force to tell me Han and Luke were somehow  
involved.   
  
I had counted on the captain's pragmatic sense of  
self-preservation to keep both him and Luke out of  
trouble. It seemed I had overestimated, or perhaps  
underestimated him. What had those boys gotten  
themselves into? And what was I going to do about it?  
  
Nothing it seemed. I slowed, sensing the Sith ahead  
blocking the way to the Falcon's hanger. Came into  
sight of him and stopped.  
  
This one favored black armor topped by a grotesque  
breath mask. Mechanical breathing was clearly audible  
in the otherwise silent corridor, blending with the  
hum of his activated lightsabre.  
  
"So you are still alive, Obi-Wan." he said.  
"It would seem so." I agreed, igniting my own  
weapon. There was something familiar about this Dark  
Lord but I hadn't the time or the inclination to track  
the likeness down.  
  
"But not for long!" he continued.  
I raised an eyebrow. Chatty type for a Sith. "We'll  
see."   
  
I had to insure Luke escaped, had to see what was  
happening back at the Falcon. I lunged at the Sith.  
Our blades locked and relocked, humming and sparking.  
Perhaps I haven't mastered patience quite as well as  
I'd thought.  
  
I tried a spinning stike to cut through that armor,  
he blocked me. Too old and too slow, much too slow.  
Happily my opponent was no master either. The armor  
limited both his speed and his movements. I wondered  
why he bothered with it, effect perhaps?  
  
His attacks were conservative, treating me with a  
respect I feared I no longer deserved. Still...I had  
killed two of his predecessors, perhaps that alone  
justified a certain caution on his part.  
  
I worked my way around him, began backing towards  
the hanger knocking his blade out of line as he  
followed, lunging, trying to re-engage.   
  
Finally I reached the hanger's cargo port, holding  
the Sith at bay as I tried to assess the situation.   
I saw no sign of Luke, Han and Chewbacca but sensed  
them lurking nearby. Stymied perhaps by the presence  
of several stormtroopers in the hanger.  
  
Then the Sith launched an attack that required my  
full attention to counter. Our blades locked. I  
wrestled mine free exchanging places with him. I had  
my opponent's measure now. Old and slow as I was I  
could hold this fellow off all day. Unfortunately I  
didn't have that kind of time.   
  
I glanced quickly aside, saw the five stormtroopers  
who'd been guarding the Falcon running towards us  
cutting me off from the ship.  
  
Wonderful. Looked back at my opponent. *Better  
think of something fast, General, Ani'll never forgive  
you if you get yourself killed and leave Luke all  
alone.*  
  
Behind the guards I saw Han, Chewbacca, Luke and  
somebody small and sleander in flowing white making  
for the ship. Only to falter to an uncertain halt as  
they spotted me, locked in combat with the Sithlord  
and surrounded by stormtroopers.   
  
Luke started towards us, ready to take them all on  
in my defense. I'd have to do something fast before  
the boy got himself killed.  
  
Then it hit me. Sixty years and I'm still making  
the same mistake, so much for age bringing wisdom!  
What had I just been telling Luke? What had Qui-Gon  
told me time and again? I could hear him now: 'Let go  
your conscious self and act on instinct!'  
  
I lowered my sabre and stood passive. Not thinking  
- feeling, waiting.  
  
I sensed the Sith's uncertainty, his fear and  
anger. Saw his decision, his move seconds before he  
made it. Turned aside the powerful horizontal strike  
and countered wth an uppercut that sliced through his  
armored forearm. Hand and sabre both clattered to the  
deck as he fell back roaring in pain or rage, sparks  
rather than blood spitting from the wound.  
  
I swirled through the hanger portal, striking at  
the control panel. Blast doors closed, cutting off the  
Sith and an approaching squad of reinforcements.   
Of course there were still the five stormtroopers  
to be dealt with. After a stunned moment they opened  
fire.   
  
Luke screamed my name and started shooting too,  
then Han in support.   
  
I deflected the blaster bolts back on the troopers  
felled three as the boys shot down the other two.  
I'm fairly sure it was a wild shot from Luke that  
winged me. Burning up my right forearm. My lightsabre  
dropped from suddenly nerveless fingers, extinguishing  
itself as it fell. I very nearly followed it, barely  
catching myself against the bulkhead with my good  
hand.  
  
"Ben!" Luke had covered the distance between us in  
record time. "Are you all right?"  
  
"Real dumb question, kid." Han of course. "I'll say  
this for you, old man, you can really use that antique  
of yours."  
  
"Thank you." I managed. Trying to regain my focus  
enough to apply Jedi pain control techniques.  
  
"Chewie." Han ordered.  
  
The Wookiee picked me up, easily as a child,  
accidently jarring my wounded arm. I couldn't quite  
restrain a gasp of pain.  
  
"Careful!" Luke snapped.  
  
Chewbacca growled an apology.  
I concentrated on breathing, on controlling the  
pain and rather lost track of things for a few  
moments.  
  
"You got some kind of med-kit on this tub?" a  
woman's voice demanded. "General Kenobi, can you hear  
me?"  
  
I forced heavy lids open and found myself looking  
into a pair of lovely, concerned, oddly familiar brown  
eyes at very close range. It took my scattered wits  
several seconds to realize who this girl with  
Amidala's eyes had to be.  
  
"I am very glad to see your Royal Highness alive."  
I heard myself say formally and with some  
understatement. At least we still had both twins. If  
Anakin had died with Alderaan they were our only hope  
to defeat the Emperor.  
  
I discovered I was slumped in a chair in the  
Falcon's main cabin with both twins hovering over me.  
"I owe you my life, General." Leia said, rolling up  
the loose oversleeves of robe and tunic and cutting  
carefully through the shirt sleeve beneath. "And Luke  
too, of course."  
  
I noticed she didn't include Han.  
  
The blaster burn was long and narrow, scoring my  
forearm past the elbow. "Not bad." Leia said  
judiciously, spraying on a dressing.  
  
Her brother, less experienced with wounds, looked  
decidedly green.  
  
"It's just a surface burn." I reassured him, "Ugly  
and painful but not dangerous."  
  
Leia held up a hypo, looked at me uncertainly.  
"Would you like something for the pain?"  
  
I smiled. "No."  
  
She put it away a little reluctantly. "I thought  
you'd say that."  
  
"But -" Luke began,  
  
"It's not necessary." I told him. "Pain is of the  
mind, Luke, I have it under control now."  
  
He looked unconvinced.  
  
Han chose that moment to burst into the cabin.  
"C'mon, buddy, we're not out of this yet!"  
  
The twins looked at me and I nodded. "Go."  
Luke headed for the gunports with Han while Leia  
ran to the cockpit to join Chewbacca.  
  
"Oh dear, oh my." Threepio jittered.  
  
"You might want to strap in." I suggested gently.  
  
"Oh dear!" he moaned again. "I don't mean to be a  
problem, Master Obi-Wan, but I just wasn't designed  
for adventures!"  
  
Nor had he been. Poor Threepio. I must be mellowing  
in my old age, now I'm empathizing with Ani's neurotic  
droid!  
  
Leia's voice over the com: "Here they come!"  
The ship vibrated under the first salvo, lights  
dimming briefly as power was channeled to the shields.  
I got up and headed for the cockpit steadying myself  
against the corridor wall. Ignoring Threepio's  
plaintive cry.  
  
"Sir! Master Obi-Wan, where are you going?"  
  
"How many are out there?" I demanded, falling into  
the auxillary seat behind Leia.   
  
"I count four." she replied, eyes glued to the  
ports.  
  
Only four fighters out of how many hundreds or even  
thousands to pursue a pair of prizes like the Princess  
and myself? Luke was even more valuable but they  
didn't know about him yet. I was insulted. How stupid  
did Palpatine's latest apprentice think I was?  
  
Another hit. "We've lost lateral controls." Leia  
warned.  
  
"Don't worry, she'll hold together." Han replied  
over the com.  
  
She did, barely.  
  
Luke and Han eliminated a fighter apiece in short  
order.  
  
Leia cut into their celebration. "There's still two  
more of them out there!"   
  
Chewbacca growled at her. She looked back  
helplessly. Obviously Kashyyk'ka hadn't been part of  
her curriculum.   
  
"He wants the co-ordinates for our destination." I  
translated.  
  
"Oh." she swivled around and entered them in the  
computer. "Calculating course."  
  
I had caught the first few sets of digits. "Yavin  
system?"  
  
She nodded. "Our current base in on Yavin four."  
  
another hit drew our attention back to the dogfight  
outside just in time to see the third and fourth TIEs  
turn into fireballs.  
  
Han and Luke's hoots and cheers filled the cockpit.  
Leia jumped from her seat to hug Chewbacca and plant a  
resounding kiss on my cheek. It's been a while since I  
was kissed by a princess, twenty years.  
  
Chewbacca punched the button and we jumped to the  
temporary safety of hyperspace.  
  
Making my way back to the main cabin I all but fell  
over Threepio, entangled in sparking wires and blaming  
Artoo for his predicament as usual.  
  
"This is all your fault! Master Obi-Wan, help me!"  
I found the cut off switch just as Han and Luke  
arrived on the scene.  
  
"What happened to Goldenrod?" the Captain wanted to  
know.  
  
"I thought I told you to strap in." I scolded.  
  
"I was endeavoring to assist Artoo in extinguishing  
a small fire." Threepio replied with a forlorn attempt  
at dignity as Luke hauled him to his feet.  
  
Han looked at the damaged circuitry, raised a brow.  
"Hmph, good work. Guess you two are some use after  
all." he frowned at me. "Better sit down before you  
fall down, old timer." and brushed past to the  
cockpit.  
  
I smiled after him. "Captain Solo will never win  
prizes for his tact." but there was a good heart  
there, better than even he knew.  
  
Luke studied me in concern. "You okay?"  
  
"It's been a long day." I told him. "And I'm not as  
young as I used to be."  
  
Chewbacca appeared behind us, growled a remark.  
  
"He wants you to assist Captain Solo in the cockpit  
while he checks the ship for damage." I interpreted  
for Luke's benefit.  
  
"Sure. Let me help Ben back to the cabin first."  
  
Leia stormed in a few minutes after Luke left. "Oh,  
that man!"  
  
"Captain Solo?" I guessed.  
  
"All he thinks about is himself and his reward!"  
she fumed.  
  
I studied Anakin's daughter. No Master would ever  
have to remind her to keep her focus. If anything she  
was a little *too* focused on her mission to the  
exclusion of all else. She reminded me of myself at  
her age.  
  
"Captain Solo has problems of his own," I told her  
quietly. "that only money can solve. I assure you,  
Princess, a debt to the Hutts is quite literally a  
matter of life and death."  
  
She bit her lip, sighed. "Okay, maybe I wasn't fair  
to the man. But he's still insufferable." gave me a  
worried look. "He won't believe we're being tracked."   
So she'd seen it too. "Our aim is to destroy the  
Death Star." I reminded her. "It will be - convenient  
- to have it come to us."  
  
Leia gave a little snort of not quite laughter.  
"Convenient!"  
  
"That station can't be very maneuverable." I  
continued reasssuringly. "We'll have plenty of time to  
prepare."  
  
"I just hope it has a weakness we can exploit." she  
worried.  
  
"It will. There's always a weakness, Princess."  
  
At last a smile. "You sound just like General  
Skywalker."  
  
"No doubt. We were taught by the same Master." I  
didn't want to ask but I had to know. "Was he on  
Alderaan?"  
  
She looked at me startled, then appalled. "Oh no,  
General! he left for Yavin four the same day I did."  
My relief must have showed for she continued  
contritely, "I'm sorry, I should have realized you'd  
be worried about him." hesitated. "Is Luke -?"  
  
"His son." I finished quietly.  
  
Her eyes widened. "I didn't know he had a son!"  
"It's been a closely guarded secret." I explained.  
"If the Emperor had found out..." I didn't have to  
finish the sentence.  
  
"I understand. he's not a Jedi is he?"  
  
"Not yet. His training's been delayed by  
circumstances beyond my control." My own brother for  
one.   
  
The subject of our conversation entered along with  
Han. "You know your worshipfullness, you could at  
least say thank you before biting my head off." the  
latter jibed.  
  
Leia elevated her chin. "I've already thanked  
General Kenobi." she replied haughtily. "As for you,  
you'll get the payment you've been promised."  
  
He didn't seem to hear the last, he was too busy  
staring at me. "*General* Kenobi? Obi-Wan Kenobi?"  
  
I looked back mildly suprised. I wouldn't have  
expected my name to mean anything to a man his age.  
  
"You're supposed to be dead." he continued with his  
usual tact.  
  
"Not quite yet." I replied. "Though not for lack of  
trying on the Empire's part."  
****  
  
Han Solo: I just gaped at him. Of course I'd heard  
of Obi-Wan Kenobi, they still teach his Mandalore  
campaign at the Academy. Though I didn't believe the  
stories about mystical powers, not then, he'd been one  
hell of a fighting general and his performance back on  
the Death Star made it clear he was still a force to  
be reckoned with.  
  
But the old man looked like hell, exhausted,  
wounded. Living legend or no he was just to old for  
this kind of nonsense. Not to mention having a price  
on his head that made the bounty Jabba'd threatened to  
pin on me look like chump change. And no, I never even  
thought about trying to collect it. I don't touch  
blood money. Ever.  
****  
  
"What the hell's the matter with you?" Han turned  
furiously on Leia. "Dragging him into your stupid  
rebellion, look at him! Are you trying to get him  
killed?"  
  
She flushed, angry as he was but guilty too.  
  
I must have been looking fairly pathetic at that.  
Still Han's outrage caught me by suprise.  
"Princess Leia is the daughter of an old friend." I  
said firmly. "She is welcome to whatever help I can  
give her."  
  
"Thank you, General," she said stiffly. "The Rebel  
cause -"  
  
"Is worth his life?" Han interupted. "Well pardon  
me your Princessness but that really stinks!" he  
stalked past a gaping Luke back to the cockpit leaving  
a slightly stunned silence behind him.   
  
I looked at Anakin's daughter, staring tight faced  
at the hands folded in her lap. I recognized the  
expression, I'd seen it on her mother when she was  
trying not to cry. Leaned forward to take her chin and  
turn her to me.   
  
"Leia, you haven't dragged me into anything. I  
chose this path long before you were born."  
  
She blinked back the tears filming her eyes.  
"Captain Solo is the most impossible man I've ever met  
in my life."  
  
*And you're quite taken with him.* I thought.  
Unsuprising really, she was young and he was handsome,  
dashing and completely unlike the men she usually  
associated with.  
  
I smiled. "Not if you know Anakin Skywalker he  
isn't!"  
  
That made her laugh. "General Skywalker is  
difficult in a completely different way."  
  
"You know my father?" Luke finally joined the  
conversation.  
  
His sister nodded. "Only since I became involved in  
the Rebellion." smiled at her brother. "You look like  
him a bit, the same coloring."  
  
"I've never seen him." Luke said flatly.  
Leia picked up the emotion behind the words. It  
seemed there was already a rapport between them  
dispite all the years of seperation. "You'll love him.  
He's -" paused searching for words. "He's like a sun,  
warm and shining. He - draws people."  
  
I nodded to myself. Yes, that was Ani.  
  
"I'm kind of nervous." Luke confessed.  
  
"I don't blame you." his sister answered. "It must  
be strange never to have known your own father." her  
voice cracked a little on the word. I knew she was  
thinking of Bail.  
  
Luke proved the rapport worked both ways. "I lost  
my family and home today too." he told her quietly.  
"But at least my world is still there, my friends...I  
wish there was something I could do to help,  
Princess."  
  
This time she let the tears fall. "You already  
have, Luke. You've given me the chance to se it never  
happens again. To anybody."  
****  
  
"Ben? We've landed." I opened my eyes to see Luke  
bending over me. "Are you feeling better?" He wanted  
to know.  
  
"Yes, thank you." and looking a little better too I  
hoped. But the concern in his eyes suggested  
otherwise.  
  
We joined Leia, Han, Chewbacca and the droids in  
the Falcon's airlock. The atmosphere was still  
somewhat fraught. I could have cut the tension between  
princess and pirate with my lightsabre.  
  
Luke was nervous, so was I a little. I'd have some  
explaining to do to his father.  
  
"At last a place of refuge!" Threepio exclaimed as  
the hatch opened on the junglescape of Yavin Four.  
  
"You want to break it to him, or should I?" Han  
snickered to the Princess.  
  
She ignored him, leading our rag-tag little band  
down the companionway to a Rebel welcoming committee  
A personnel scooter deposited us in the middle of a  
bustling hanger full of fighters, pilots and ground  
crew.  
  
"Leia!" my heart skipped a beat at the sound of  
that voice.  
  
"General Skywalker!" Leia ran to the arms of a tall  
fair haired man in Jedi robes.  
  
Luke gulped. "Is that -?"  
  
"That's him." I confirmed.  
  
"When we heard about Alderaan I feared I'd lost you  
too." Anakin was telling his daughter.  
  
She drew away from him, visibly gathering her  
  
composure. "I wasn't on Alderaan. I'd been captured by  
the Empire. General Kenobi rescued me."  
  
Ani looked past her, eyes widening as they found  
me. He's never been any good at hiding his feelings;  
shock, disbelief and, oddly, guilt passed all too  
clearly across his face before he swept me into the  
familiar bear hug. Do I really look that bad?  
****  
  
Anakin Skywalker: I never would have known him if  
not for those eyes and his smile. Obi-Wan, my old  
friend, what have I done to you?  
****  
  
When I could breath again I introduced father to  
son. "This is Luke. Luke, your father, Anakin  
Skywalker."  
  
Ani read his son's tension and knew to go slow.  
"Welcome to Yavin Four," he said almost formally, "I'm  
sorry this meeting's been delayed so long. Obi-Wan  
will have explained why it was necessary."  
  
"I understand." Luke managed, half stifled by  
confused emotions.  
  
"I hate to break up this little reunion," Han  
interupted, "but according to her Worship the Death  
Star's right behind us."  
  
Anakin cocked a mildly interested brow. "Indeed?  
That's convenient." turned to his daughter. "Leia?"  
  
"I hid the plans in Artoo."  
  
The little droid whistled triumphantly.  
  
Ani smiled at them both. "Good thinking, Princess.  
All right, Artoo, let's see what you've got."  
  
In the briefing room Anakin introduced us to the  
Rebel command staff while Artoo communed with the  
tactical computer.   
  
There were two Jedi, both too young to have been  
Temple trained and one still wearing the braid. The  
tradition was being carried on dispite all obstacles.  
And General Jan Dodonna, a man about my age, who  
stammered like a boy as he said how honored he was to  
meet me. "But I thought you were dead?"  
  
I wish people would stop saying that. I'm begining  
to run out of good comebacks. I settled for "Maybe I  
was." then quickly introduced my companions. "Captain  
Solo and his first mate Chewbacca."  
  
"And this is my son Luke." Ani finished for me.  
  
Dodonna's eyes went even wider. "I didn't know you  
had - that is I'm pleased to meet you young man."  
  
"What I don't understand is how you all come to be  
together." Anakin continued.  
  
"My father had asked me to find General Kenobi and  
try to persuade him to join us." Leia explained. "But  
my ship was intercepted as we entered the Tatooine  
system. I had just enough time to hide the plans in  
Artoo and record a message to the General asking him  
to see the droids safely to Alderaan -" her voice  
shook on the name and Luke quickly took up the story.  
  
"Somehow they made it down to the surface but were  
picked up by Jawas before they could reach Ben."  
looked uncertainly at his father. "You remember about  
Jawas?"  
  
Anakin nodded, smiling. "Native scavengers," he  
explained for the others' benefit. "with a tendency to  
pick up anything that's not nailed down."  
  
"It was a terrible experience, Master Anakin,"  
Threepio told him. "I thought we were lost for sure.  
Thank goodness they took us to Master Luke!"  
  
"We needed some new droids on the farm, so Uncle  
Owen bought them."   
  
"What an incredible coincidence." a Rebel officer  
exclaimed.  
  
"There is no coincidence." Ani and I responded in  
chorus, quoting our Master. We exchanged smiles and I  
continued. "It was the Force that brought the droids  
to Luke, and Luke to me."  
  
Dodonna and his staff had obviously heard this kind  
of thing before and learned to accept it. Han had not.  
I heard him snort his disbelief, turned to him. "We  
hired Captain Solo here to take us to Alderaan but  
arrived too late, after the planet's destruction."  
  
"Fortunately." Leia said quietly. "Or you would  
have died too. Tarkin said it would be an example to  
the other worlds....he made me watch."  
  
Anakin put an arm around his daughter and she  
leaned against him for comfort. Continued steadily. "I  
was to be executed afterwards but Luke got to me  
first."  
  
"We'd been pulled in by the Death Star." her  
brother explained. "We hid from the Imperials in Han -  
Captain Solo's - shielded cargo bays, then Ben went  
off alone to disconnect the tractor beam so we could  
escape. While we were waiting Artoo found out the  
Princess was aboard so we went to get her."  
  
"Just like that?" Dodonna asked, with a hint of a  
twinkle in his eye.  
  
Luke blushed. "We had to do something, they were  
going to kill her. Han and I were in stormtrooper  
armor, we put some binders on Chewie and marched into  
the detention block pretending to be a prisoner  
transfer.  
  
Dodonna grinned directly at Ani. "He's a Skywalker  
all right!"  
  
Luke went even redder. "I couldn't have done it  
without Han and Chewie."  
  
"Yes, Captain Solo, we owe you a great deal -"  
Dodonna began.  
  
"Fifteen hundred credits to be exact." Han  
interupted crisply.  
  
The general blinked. His officers looked shocked,  
Luke and Leia dismayed.   
  
Ani lifted a questioning eyebrow at me. I nodded.  
"That was the fee we agreed on. I would say Captain  
Solo has more than earned it."  
  
"He certainly has." Anakin concurred.  
****  
  
Han Solo: I know these idealistic types. They'll do  
you dirt without a quiver in the name of their  
precious cause. Skywalker and the old man were  
different, they knew a deal was a deal. General Kenobi  
would see I got my money if he had to go out and raid  
the Imperial Treasury for it.   
  
I don't know why that made me feel like such a  
heel.  
*****  
  
"Yeah, well thanks." Han seemed slightly off  
balance for some reason. "If you don't mind I'd like  
to be paid and outta here before that planet-killer  
arrives."  
  
"Of course." Ani said calmly. "We're short on  
credits, will precious metals do?"  
  
"Sure." Han looked even more uncomfortable.  
  
"General -" Dodonna began and was silenced by a  
sharp look from Anakin.  
  
"If you're smart you'll be out of here too." Han  
burst out. "You got plenty of time to evacuate."  
  
Anakin shook his head. "That would just delay the  
inevitable, Captain."  
  
"Yeah, well, death is inevitable but I never heard  
that was any reason not to try and avoid it as long as  
you can."  
  
It was a good argument. Ani grinned, I could see he  
was taking a shine to our Captain Solo. "The odds will  
never be better than they are now, we might as well  
get it over with." sobered. "We've hidden long enough.  
Time to make a stand."  
  
"You're crazy." Han said flatly, proving yet again  
diplomacy was not his long suit.   
  
Dodonna, his officers and the two young Jedi  
bristled. But Anakin just laughed. "So I've been  
told."  
  
Perhaps fortunately Artoo finished downloading just  
then and the Death Star plans appeared on monitor.  
Murmurs of dismay came from the Rebel officers  
Han looked smugly vindicated, garnering glares from  
both twins.  
  
Anakin folded his arms and watched the schematics  
flow past. "Defenses are geared towards a large scale  
assault." he observed after a moment. "A fighter could  
get through."  
  
"And do what?" Han demanded.  
  
"That's what we have to establish." I replied,  
adding to Ani. "The exhaust system is our best bet."  
  
After several hours intensive study we found the  
weak spot. A torpedo fired up a particular thermal  
exhaust port would start a chain reaction that would  
destroy the station. But it would take an expert  
marksman to do it.  
  
By now the group around the monitor was down to  
Anakin, his two students, myself, Dodonna and a couple  
of his aids. The other officers had been sent about  
their duties. Han had gone off to inspect his payment,  
and the twins to get some much needed rest.  
  
"I could do it." Ani decided.  
  
No doubt he could. But the expressions on the two  
young knights' faces made it clear he wouldn't be  
doing it alone.  
  
"No." Dodonna's tone brooked no argument. "You are  
not taking that behemoth on single handed." Ani's  
padawan made to speak, was silenced by a stern glance.  
"Or with just your wingmen for back up. You may be the  
hottest starpilot in the Galaxy, Skywalker, but the  
more fighters the better the odds of somebody getting  
through."  
  
And the more would die trying. But Dodonna was  
right. Not even Anakin could simultaneously fight off a  
few hundred TIEs and make the torpedo run. It would  
have to be an attack in force.  



	4. May The Force Be With You

"Let me see that arm." Ani said suddenly as we walked away from the  
tactical room trailed by his two wingmen.  
  
"It's all right." I answered. "Just a surface burn. Her Highness dressed it for me."  
  
Anakin pivoted to block my path and stopped me in my tracks with two heavy hands on my shoulders. "Let me see."  
  
I could have put up a fight of course, but that wouldn't have been very  
dignified - or edifying for the two young Jedi watching. "Very well."  
  
He removed the sling Leia had insisted I wear and rolled back two  
thicknesses of sleeve. The burn itself was of course invisible beneath the hardened med-dressing.  
  
"You see? Princess Leia is very competent." Like her mother.  
  
Ani didn't answer. Placed one large hand over the wound and closed his eyes.  
  
"Anakin!" my protest was seconds too late. A quick surge of the Force and he was peeling the dressing off my newly healed arm. "That was completely unecessary." I scolded. Ani'd *always* been a little too prodigal with his powers.  
  
"At least I can do that much." he returned briefly.  
  
Then I saw it. Stupid of me, I should have realized he'd find the  
difference between the Obi-Wan Kenobi he'd known twenty years ago and my present self - disturbing.  
  
"I'm old, Ani," I told him gently, "that's all. As old as Master was."  
Exactly the wrong thing to say. Damn Yoda's prophecies! "The Emperor killed Qui-Gon." I reminded him sharply as his face tightened. "And I'm just as much to blame as you for putting our Master at risk." continued. "And unless your sabrework has improved spectacularly, you're certainly no threat to me!"  
  
That wrung a smile out of him. His swordmanship, like my piloting, was an old joke between us.  
  
I veered quickly to the subject that had been troubling me. "I apologize for Luke's lack of training. I put off begining it far too long."  
  
Ani seemed a little startled. Either he hadn't noticed, or hadn't cared.  
"I'm sure you had a good reason." he said as we resumed walking.  
  
I sighed. "I don't know how good it was. Owen was amenable enough at first but as he became attached to the boy he started resisting the idea. Then after your mother died he ordered me in so many words to never come near Luke again."  
  
"Or he'd sell you to the Hutts."  
  
We turned as one to see Luke standing in a doorway.  
  
"I heard you fighting." he explained to me. "I didn't think anything of  
it then - people say stuff like that all the time at home; 'I'd sell you to  
the Hutts if they'd give me more than a crummy dekicredit.' that kind of  
thing. But he was serious wasn't he?"  
  
"I don't know." I said quietly. To Anakin. "I couldn't take the chance -  
Jabba would have given me to the Emperor and the first thing Palpatine'd ask himself was why Tatooine and start digging for the answer."  
  
"After he killed you - if you were lucky." Anakin was visibly shaken. "I  
can't believe Owen would do something like that."  
  
"I'm not sure he would have." I said. "He had the Kenobi temper you know - would say all kinds of things he didn't mean if he were angry enough." turned back to Luke. "But he loved you like you were his own son - he'd have done anything to protect you. Maybe even betray me."  
  
"Why'd he hate you so?" Luke asked bewildered.  
  
"He didn't hate me." I answered automatically - and recognized it as the truth. Not me but what I'd become, and the Jedi for doing it.  
  
"Owen was my brother, Luke." his eyes widened in shock. I continued explaining my new, if belated, insight. "Years ago the Jedi took me away, turned me into a man he couldn't understand with priorities that made no sense to him. He was afraid of losing you the same way. And terribly afraid of what could happen to you if you joined your father's war against the Emperor."  
  
"But I want to help." he protested. "That's why I'm here. They were  
saying in quarters that they've got more ships than pilots, I want to  
volunteer."  
  
Ani folded his arms into the sleeves of his robe and looked thoughtfully down at his son. "Why?"  
  
Luke blinked at the unexpected response - struggled to find an answer. "For Leia." he said at last. "The Empire destroyed her world, tortured her, were going to kill her -"  
  
"For revenge then?" Anakin cut in sharply.  
  
"Maybe a little." Luke gulped, then firmly. "But mostly so nothing like  
Alderaan can ever happen again."  
  
After a long, searching look Anakin nodded. "Good enough." turned to the young Jedi at his shoulder. "Jazpar, I want you to run Luke through the combat simulator."  
  
"I can do it." his son said confidently. "Ben'll tell you how good I am  
in a T-16 and these snubfighters of yours aren't much different."  
  
Ani visibly fought back a grin. "I don't doubt you but Dodonna will want proof you won't just cost us a ship."  
  
"Reminds me of a cocky young Padawan I used to know." I murmured as the two youngsters trotted away.  
  
Anakin laughted out loud. "Me too. He *is* as good as he says he is?"  
  
"Oh yes, he's his father's son."  
  
"I've noticed." his face clouded over. "I'm going to want a word with  
Owen though. From what you've said he might do anything when he realizes Luke's gone -"  
  
"Owen's dead, Ani." I interupted. "And Beru. Murdered by stormtroopers looking for the droids."  
  
His eyes closed - tightly. "I'm sorry. I wish I'd known him better."  
  
"So do I." I said sadly. Got myself back in hand. No time for grief, not  
yet. "Another thing, Ani, Palpatine's latest Apprentice is aboard the Death Star."  
  
A Sithlord is never good news but his reaction was stronger than I'd  
expected.  
  
"You saw him?"  
  
"We fought." I made a face, "I'm rusty. Too old and too slow. Fortunately he was worse."  
  
Another tight smile. "He had a poor swordmaster. You didn't recognize him?"  
  
I shook my head. "No, I thought I sensed something familiar but -"  
  
"It's Seig." he interupted bluntly.  
  
No. Oh no, poor Ani. I had trained two apprentices, and seen both die. But they were not lost. They'd become one with the Force, when I touched it I touched them. Anakin had suffered a true loss - the worst that can befall a Master - to the Dark Side.  
  
"I was a fool," he was saying savagely, "if anybody should have known the signs it's me -"  
  
"Are you so much wiser than our Master?" I snapped. That stopped him. "Being the Chosen One doesn't make you omniscient, Ani." I continued more temperately. "The Dark Side is hard to see - for all of us." even more gently. "I'm sorry, I know how hard it must be." only too well. I'd never forget the terrible moment when Qui-Gon and I thought we'd lost Anakin.  
  
"I hope you don't." he said. Took a breath, "I need to talk to Willard."  
turned to his Padawan. "Try to see he gets some rest, Ken-Jin." And then he was off, striding down the hall to the hangers, leaving me alone with my son.  
  
I stood looking at him, unable to think of a thing to say.  
  
It had seemed right to leave him behind twenty years ago. Luke had to be my main concern which was scarcely fair to my son. And I'd hoped Ken-Jin would be able to comfort Amidala for the loss of her own children - and Sabe.  
  
He was the image of her. The same slim oval face and fine features and her dark eyes looking gravely back at me.  
  
"You're very like your mother." I managed at last.  
  
He smiled. "That's funny. Master's always saying I'm exactly like you."  
  
Master. He meant Ani. "Exactly how does he mean that?"  
  
The smile broadened into a grin. "It's not always a compliment." he  
admitted.  
  
I'd bet it wasn't - and felt a smile tug at my own mouth.  
  
Gently. "Father, I do understand. Taking me to Tatooine would have been dangerous, a distraction for you."  
  
I relaxed a little. Comforted by his acceptance. Unlike Owen my son was a Jedi too, he knew for us duty must come before family - and why.  
  
"It was not an easy decision, I promise you." I replied.  
The hardest of all the hard things I've had to do in my life.  
  
Suddenly I realized I had yet to hear Luke call Ani 'father'. Ken-Jin  
could forgive me for leaving him. But would Luke forgive his father for  
sending him away?  
  
I told Ken-Jin I'd slept on the Falcon and didn't need further rest. My  
son gave me his mother's gentle, disbelieving smile but didn't argue. He showed me the way to the training room. We were waiting outside when Luke and Jazpar emerged.  
  
"I got killed twice." my student admitted ruefully. "But Jazpar says  
that's not bad."  
  
"It's extrordinarily good." the young Jedi corrected. "Considering I was throwing the entire Star Fleet at you. I doubt even Master could do better. The final decision is General Dodonna's but I'd say you're in."  
  
Luke grinned relieved. A warning note echoed down the hallway.  
  
"Flight briefing." Ken-Jin said.  
****  
  
We entered a long, low ceilinged room crowded with orange suited pilots, white uniformed ground crewmen and numerous astro-droids, including our own Artoo Detoo with Threepio beside him as usual. Luke and I found seats on the benches while Jazpar and Ken-Jin continued forward to join Anakin, standing off to the side with Leia.  
  
Dodonna took his place on a small stage up front, backdropped by the all to familiar Death Star schematics. I saw Han and Chewbacca slip in quietly just as the General began.  
  
"We have analyzed our new information and with the help of General Kenobi formulated an attack strategy." he bowed in my direction.  
  
All eyes turned the same way and every face registered disbelief. I did my best to look grave and dignified as illusions shattered audibly around me.  
  
"Please direct your attention to the screen." Dodonna ordered. And  
proceeded to briskly outline the problem. "The battle station is heavily  
shielded and carries a firepower greater than that of half the Star Fleet."  
  
Uneasy murmurs from the audience.  
  
"Its defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."  
  
"Begging your pardon, sir," a huge man, fully Anakin's size, in flight  
gear rose from the benches, "but what good are snubfighters going to be against *that*?"  
  
"The Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat or they'd have a tighter defense." Dodonna responded.  
  
Judging by the faces around me there was general agreement with the Imperial strategists on this  
  
"An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. But the approach will not be easy.  
  
Now there was an understatement and a half!  
  
The schematic behind the old general changed, illustrating his words as he continued. "You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point." tapped the screen with his pointer. "The target area is only two meter wide."  
  
More murmurs, this time with an undercurrent of incredulity.  
  
"It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction that should destroy the station." the schematic blew itself up. "Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded so you'll have to use proton torpedoes."  
  
Polite pandemonium from the pilots.  
  
"That's impossible!" the youngster next to Luke blurted. "even for a  
computer."  
  
"It's not impossible." my student countered. "I used to bulls-eye womp rats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."  
  
"Maybe not for a Jedi." the other conceeded drily. "But us regular types have to depend on computers, not the Force."  
  
"Only because you think you do." I put in quietly and garnered and  
uncertain look in return.  
  
"Then man your ships, and may the Force be with you." Dodonna concluded.  
  
A support tech caught Luke at the door. "Sir? you got yourself a bird.  
Let's find you some gear."  
  
My student threw me a look a bedazzled excitement and allowed himself to be led away. Seconds later Han materialized out of the thining crowd.  
  
"Of all the damnfool stunts." he grumbled, gave me a defensive glare. "Me and Chewie are outta here!"  
  
"May the Force be with you, Han." I told him. "and thank you for all  
you've done."  
  
I didn't need the Force to sense the conflict in him. It was perfectly  
visible on his face. He started to turn away, turned back. "Look, you've  
delivered the kid to his Dad and rescued her Royal Worshipfullness. You've done your bit. We're headed for Tatooine, why not deadhead back with us?"  
  
I was tempted. I missed the Jundland wastes, I'd never put down roots before. Jedi are wanderers. The Temple hadn't been a home, just a place to stay between missions. I'd regretted its loss but never longed for it as I now did for my cluttered little hermitage. But it couldn't be. My destiny was out here - as it always had been. I smiled and shook my head.  
****  
  
Han Solo: He wanted to say yes, I could feel it. Not because he was  
afraid of the Death Star but because he was homesick. Missing that miserable desert. Hard to believe but I guess you can get attached to a place in twenty years. Even Tatooine.  
  
****  
  
Han sighed. "Just thought I'd offer."  
  
"You've been very kind." I told him.  
  
"Yeah, that's me 'kind'." stuck out his hand, said almost formally; "It's  
been an honor to meet you, sir."  
  
"And a pleasure to meet you, Captain."  
  
Han and Chewbacca headed hangerward. Ani, Leia, Jazpar and my son joined me looking after them.  
  
"He's really going then." Leia said with a bitter combination of  
disappointment and disapproval in her voice.  
  
"Captain Solo must follow his own path." her father chided gently. "No one can choose it for him."  
  
"We already owe him our lives." I pointed out.  
  
She squared her shoulders. "You're right, General, he deserves a civil good-bye at least." and hurried down the passage after him.  
  
"Is that what I said?" I asked Anakin.  
  
"Apparently. Do I sense a more than friendly interest in our Captain?"  
  
"I think so."  
  
He shook his head. "I wouldn't have thought he was her type."  
  
I fought back a grin. "I don't know, kind of reminds me of the brash  
pilot type her mother fell for."  
  
Ani laughed. "If Master hadn't found me I'd have probably ended up a  
smuggler too."  
*****  
  
Leia rejoined us by Anakin's ship, color burning high in her cheeks.  
Naturally we all pretended not to notice.  
  
"Good luck, General." she told Ani then, as he smiled down at her,  
corrected herself. "I mean may the Force be with you."  
  
"Better." he laughed. "You're learning, Princess." dropped a kiss on the top of his daughter's head, as he had once done with her mother. Then turned to embrace me. "Look after her." spoken quietly, for my ear alone.  
  
I would have liked to hug my son, but we were still to much strangers. I settled for the standard blessing. "May the Force be with you."  
  
"Don't worry about Ken-Jin," Ani teased. "He's a much better pilot than his father. Got it from Sabe's side of the family no doubt."  
  
"No doubt." I agreed drily.  
  
Leia, Commander Willard and I made our way back through the hanger, encountered a disconsolate looking Luke.  
  
"What's wrong?" his sister asked.  
  
"Oh it's Han!" he answered. "I don't know, I really thought he'd  
change his mind."  
  
I knew he would. But Han's self image would force him to fight his nature a little longer.  
  
"He's got to follow his own path." Leia consoled. "Nobody can chose it for him." Gave Luke a quick kiss on the cheek then hurried on, Willard in attendance.  
  
I followed my student as he continued towards his ship. "I'm in Red Squadron, Red Five." he was telling me when a voice shouted "Luke!"  
  
I didn't at first recognize the dark, moustached young man who ran up to grab Luke's arm. "I don't believe it!" he continued excitedly. "How'd you get here? Are you going out with us?"  
  
"Biggs! Of course I'll be up there with you! Ben, you remember Biggs  
don't you?"  
  
I smiled, nodded. I had never spoken to the boy as far as I could recall but I'd often seen him with Luke. He knew me of course. 'Old Ben' was a widely recognized local character. His slightly bewildered expression reflected his confusion. What was I doing on Yavin?  
  
Then a rugged, confident man, my student's Squadron leader by his  
insignia, approached us. Nodded politely to me. "Pardon me, General." to Luke. "You young Skywalker? Have you been checked out on the Incom T-sixty-five?"  
  
"Sir, Luke is the best bush pilot in the outer rim territories." Biggs  
assured him.  
  
"He's been simultested." I put in. "A point oh two rating."  
  
Red Leader's eyebrows shot up. He grinned, "Guess I should have expected that from a Skywalker." to Luke. "You'll do all right. If you've got even half your father's skill you'll do better than all right."  
  
"Thank you sir, I'll try."  
  
Yoda's aphorism knocked at my lips but I restrained myself. This wasn't the time.  
  
Red Leader bowed to me. "General Kenobi." headed off to his own ship.  
  
Biggs stared round eyed at the both of us. "*General* Kenobi? Luke, you're General Skywalker's son?"  
  
"It's a long story." Luke admitted. And no time to tell it.  
  
"I've got to get aboard." Biggs said. "Listen, you tell me your story  
when we come back, all right?"  
  
One of the worst parts of being a Jedi General is looking at a youngster and *knowing* he won't be coming back. I felt it now, not just for Biggs but most of the pilots around us. This was going to be very bad. Win or lose a lot of good men were going to die today. For the first time I was grateful for Luke's lack of training. Glad he was spared this knowledge.  
  
"I told you I'd make it someday, Biggs." he called cheerfully after his  
friend.  
  
"You did all right." the other shouted back. "It'll be just like old  
times, Luke. We're a couple of shooting stars that'll never be stopped!"  
  
I turned away quickly, to hide my reaction. Saw Threepio standing by a nearby X-Wing and headed for it.  
  
A ground crew was hoisting Artoo Detoo into place. "General Skywalker's lent you his personal R2 unit." the Chief called down to Luke, "Said you two had worked together before."  
  
"You could say that." Luke agreed. "That little droid and I've been  
through a lot together." to Artoo as he settled into his socket. "You okay, Artoo?"  
  
The astro-droid burbled a cheeful confirmation.  
  
Luke tuned to me, a mingling of excitement, nerves, gratitude and fear shaping his expression and charging his voice. "Ben -"  
  
I put both hands on his shoulders, tried to project calm and confidence. "Remember, stretch out with your feelings. Don't think, act on instinct." my hands tightened involuntarily. I made myself let go, step back. "May the Force be with you."  
  
He managed a nod. Climbed the ladder to the cockpit.  
  
I noticed Threepio was all but wringing his hands with anxiety. "Hang on tight, Artoo," he called up to his counterpart. "you've got to come back - you wouldn't want my life to get boring would you?"  
  
Small chance of that as long as he belonged to Anakin Skywalker. Artoo bleeped down reassurances.  
  
Red Five levitated a meter or so above the ground and skimmed for the hanger opening. Heading not to certain death, like all to many of his comrades, but into a future so clouded with possibilities as to be opaque to my sight.  



	5. Without Remorse, Without Regret

I joined Leia and Dodonna in the War room. Threepio followed   
me in and went to stand beside Leia at the table-like tactical display.   
Nobody seemed to notice, apparently he was an accepted part of the equipment.   
  
Dodonna was explaining the plan of attack to Leia. "Gold Flight   
will make the first attack runs while Red Flight flies high cover   
and tries to draw enemy fire."   
  
"And General Skywalker?" I asked.  
  
"Will do as he damn well pleases, as usual." the General grimaced.  
  
I hid a smile of my own. Some things never change.  
  
"Standby alert. Death Star approaching. Estimated time to firing   
range, fifteen minutes." I have never understood the military's   
fascination with countdowns - they only increase tension and anxiety.  
  
I closed my eyes and stretched out with my feelings. Located   
Anakin and his two wingmen at once by their strength in the Force,   
a dazzlingly bright trio almost eclipsing the dimmer presences of   
the other pilots. I sifted through them in search of my student.   
There he was, almost as bright as his father but flickering, uncertain,   
untrained. A combination of fear and excitement clogging the smooth flow of the Force.   
  
Silencing my own anxieties I projected calm into his Force presence and felt him respond, steadying.  
  
Red Leader's voice came over the comlink, in war room and Luke's   
cockpit, "Accelerate to attack speed. This is it, boys."  
  
"Red Leader, this is Gold Leader."  
  
"I copy, Gold Leader."  
  
"We're starting for the target shaft now."  
  
"We're in position. I'm going to cut across the axis and try and draw their fire."  
  
Red Three, the boy who'd been sitting next to Luke at the briefing,   
followed his leader in. Then it was Luke's turn. He got his target,   
and the the resultant fireball nearly got him! Reckless - just like   
his father. And, if I was honest, his Teacher.  
  
I kept my presence passive, at the edge of his consciousness.   
Luke didn't need any distractions. Suddenly Red Six winked out,   
Force waves rippling out from the sudden gap. I flinched, sensing   
death never gets easier. This boy was the first, he wouldn't be the last.  
  
Luke flinched too, sensing Red Six's end through his link with me, his focus wavered.   
  
I risked mindspeech. *Luke, trust your feelings."  
  
I had underestimated him. He started a little, then took my advice   
and steadied down refocusing his concentration on the problem at   
hand. Took out another battery of surface guns.  
  
"Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals. Enemy   
fighters coming your way." by now I was so centered on Luke's cockpit I heard the warning through his ears instead of my own.  
  
Ani's voice came over the link, crisply businesslike. "This is   
Blue One, we'll intercept but a few are bound to get past us. Keep an eye peeled, Red Flight."  
  
Of course. He would have been expecting this move as soon as   
the Imperials realized our fighters were small enough to elude their   
guns. The three Jedi pilots should be able to keep the bulk of the   
enemy ships from getting through - but not all.  
  
"My scope's negative. I don't see anything." Luke said.  
  
"Pick up your visual scanning." Red Leader advised. Scopes can   
be jammed, eyes can't, as every experienced pilot knows. Luke and   
I peered upward through his canopy.  
  
"Here they come." said Ani.   
  
A full squadron of TIE fighters flashed over the Death Star's   
horizon and were intercepted by a trio of blue and white V-Wings.   
Three enemy ships vanished in fireballs before they could react.   
The others scattered frantically and the Jedi fighters broke formation   
to pursue. I tried to locate my son's ship but Luke was riveted on Blue One.  
  
The Imperials had learned through painful experience that single   
ships stood no chance at all against Blue Flight. But no combination   
of fighters lasted long against Blue One.  
  
"'The best star pilot in the Galaxy.'" Luke breathed, awed, as   
he watched his father fly circles around the TIES.  
  
It was getting bad now. The multiple deaths sent shockwaves   
of disturbance through the Force. It took all my strength to hang   
on to Luke. I saw three TIES elude Blue Flight and flash down on Red Squadron.   
  
Then - "General Kenobi?" a voice and a light touch shattered   
my concentration snapping me back to the war room. Leia was looking anxiously up at me, small hand on my arm. "Are you all right, General?"  
  
I managed a tight nod, my voice wouldn't function immediately.   
She didn't believe me. Looked around and spotted a chair.  
  
"Why don't you sit down, General."  
  
You know you're old when beautiful young women want to nursemaid you. I let myself be led to the seat. Tried to give her a reassuring smile before closing my eyes again to regather my concentration.  
  
I sensed her hovering over me, then a burst of com-chatter pulled   
her away, back to the battle. It was not going well. Gold Flight's   
final run had failed thanks to a trio of enemy ships that'd gotten   
past Ani. Blue Flight itself was now in desperate straits, six to   
one are steep odds even for Jedi. I heard Anakin refuse Red Leader's   
offer of assistance and order him to resume torpedo attacks on the target.  
  
Again I reached out. Getting back to Luke was like trying to   
fight my way through a Tatooine sandstorm. I was buffet by the multiple disturbances roiling the Force. Then one of the bright Jedi presences blinked out.  
  
Forgetting Luke I reached, almost in panic, for my son. *Ken-Jin!*  
  
*Father?*   
  
Not my son or Ani, the other boy Jazpar. My first relief was   
succeeded by a wave of sadness, partly mine partly Ken-Jin's, quickly   
shunted away so it wouldn't distract him.  
  
I stayed with my son for a few moments. He and Anakin were fighting in tandem now, guarding each others backs. I was pleased to see Ken-Jin could keep pace with his Master. He really was a better pilot than his father. Reassured I remembered my duty and let go of my son to search for Luke.  
  
I linked with him just in time to witness the end of Red Leader   
through his eyes. Luke's sense was grim, resolute, and perfectly   
calm. I was proud of him. Instinctively he took command, just as his father would have.  
  
"Biggs, Wedge, let's close it up. We're going in full throttle.   
That ought to keep those fighters off our back."  
  
"Right with you, boss." promptly from Wedge.  
  
Biggs sounded worried. "Luke, at that speed will you be able to pull up in time?"  
  
"It'll be just like Beggars' Canyon back home." came the confident reply.  
  
A barrage of fire exploded around them as they began their run.   
"We'll stay far back enough to cover you." Biggs told Luke.  
  
But now it was Red Three's turn to worry. "My scope shows the   
tower, but I can't see the exhaust port! Are you sure the computer can hit it?"  
  
"Watch yourself!" Luke snapped back as blaster fire buffeted   
the three X-Wings. "Increase speed full throttle!" Speed was their best chance.  
  
Wedge was insistant. "What about that tower?"  
  
"You worry about those fighters! I'll worry about the tower!" Luke ordered.  
  
Red Three's concern was not unfounded, I couldn't see the exhaust   
port either and I knew exactly where to look from the plans. A chilling   
possibility struck me: Could some Imperial Engineer have spotted   
the weakness and corrected it during construction?   
  
I let go of Luke and projected myself to the tower, feeling my   
way down it. The port was there, exactly where it was supposed to   
be. It was just too small for the scopes. Wedge was right, no computer would be able to make this shot.  
  
An explosion down the trench sent me back to Luke. Red Three   
had just taken a hit from the lead ship of a trio of pursuing TIES.  
  
"Get clear, Wedge." Luke ordered. "You can't do any more good back there."  
  
"Sorry!" Red Three lifted out of the trench on an escape vector.   
The TIEs let him go, realizing Luke and Biggs were the real threat.  
  
I could feel the Darkness eminating from the lead ship and knew   
Seig was piloting it with all the skill one would expect of Anakin's   
former apprentice. And closing fast. Biggs couldn't hold him. His   
X-Wing vanished in a shower of flaming debris.  
  
Grappled onto Luke's mind I shared his shock and grief and flash   
of anger as his friend died. He engaged his targeting computer,   
if he depended on it he would miss, as Red Leader had done.  
  
*Use the Force, Luke* I told him.  
  
He started at the non-sound of my mindvoice. Looked around almost as if expecting to see me then uncertainly back at the eye screen of his targeting computer.  
  
*Let go, Luke!*  
  
Still he hesitated.  
  
*Luke, trust me!*  
  
That did it. Mind made up he switched off his computer. To the consternation of Base Control.  
  
"Luke, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing." he answered. "I'm all right."   
  
I felt him focus, struggling to remember what I had taught him.   
Then an incoming blaster bolt took Artoo full on the dome. The little   
droid's electronic death scream snapped Luke's concentration.  
  
"I've lost Artoo!"  
  
The droid hadn't been atomized. He was still there, a burnt and   
blackened shell. Perhaps Ani could repair him, if we survived.  
  
I was afraid we wouldn't. Sieg had to get us with his next shot.   
I tried to think of something, anything, I could do to stop him   
- and one of his wingmen exploded in a burst of luminous gasses.  
  
A familiar voice filled the cockpit, "Yahoo!" and the Millenium   
Falcon came out of the sun diving down on the two remaining TIEs.  
  
The surviving wingman panicked, dodged into his leader sending   
Seig's ship spinning into space then ricocheting into the trench wall and immolating himself.  
  
"You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."  
  
Luke smiled up at the Falcon then focused a final time on the   
exhaust port and pressed the firing button.  
  
The torpedoes went right in heading for the main reactor.  
  
We pulled away at best speed, were joined by the Falcon, Wedge,   
a Lone Y-Wing, only survivor of Gold Flight, and the two Jedi V-Wings.   
Then the Death Star blew up behind us in a dazzling display of expanding energies.   
  
The shockwave of those tens of thousands of deaths would have   
knocked me loose had Luke not held me fast.  
  
"Great shot, kid. That was one in a million!" Han crowed over the comlink.  
  
"Thanks Ben." Luke said silently, only to me.  
  
"Remeber the Force will be with you," I promised, "always."  
  
I heard Ani's "well done, son." - and then I was back in the   
happy pandemonium of the celebrating war room.  
  
Leia kissed Dodonna, then Willard, returned Threepio's hug, then   
turned to me and the joy went out of her face like a snuffed lamp.   
"General Kenobi! Are you all right?"  
  
I felt terrible, and doubtless looked worse. The effort of reaching   
Luke and staying with him had drained me. Leia and Dodonna both   
hurried over, faces clearly reflecting their alarm.  
  
"It's nothing." I tried to assure them in a thread of a voice.   
"I just need to rest a moment." since for all they knew I'd just   
been sitting there all this time that made very little sense to   
them. I saw the confused look they exchanged before I closed my eyes again.  
  
By the time the few surviving ships returned I'd recovered enough   
to walk to the hanger, Leia hovering anxiously at my elbow. But   
the instant she saw Luke climbing out of his ship she forgot me   
and arrowed straight through the gathering crowd of excited, cheering   
ground crew to throw herself into her brother's arms.  
  
I decided not to risk the scrimmage on the hanger floor. Waited   
patiently in the entry arch until my trio of young friends detached   
themselves from the crowd and headed towards me, ams interlaced, with Leia in the middle.  
  
Han and Luke pulled up sharply, in visible dismay, at their   
first sight of me. Luke let go of his sister and put his arms around   
me, half in embrace half in support. "Ben! are you all right?"  
  
I was getting almost as tired of that question as I was of 'I thought you were dead.' "It's been a very long day." I told him. And I'm definitely not as young as I was.  
  
"I felt you out there with me." he continued.  
  
I made innocent eyes at him. "How could that be, Luke? I was   
in the war room the whole time. Ask Princess Leia."  
  
He looked confused.  
  
His sister, more knowledgable in Jedi ways, stared at me in sudden comprehension.  
  
I transfered my attention to Han. "Thank you for your most timely intervention, Captain Solo."  
  
He gave me a lopsided smile in return. "You're welcome. You knew I'd come back - didn't you?"  
  
I smiled at him. "Knowing the man you are I expected nothing less."  
****  
  
Han Solo: I peeked in through the cracked door. The old man didn't   
stir so I opened it a little wider and eased through. Chewie, big   
clumsy oaf that he is, had the good sense to stay in the hall.  
  
At least he was breathing. Out like a light though. I couldn't   
even guess how he'd managed to wear himself out like that sitting   
quietly in the War Room. Well, to be honest I could guess - I just didn't   
want to believe it.  
  
'Being the man you are I expected nothing less.' He'd said. He   
meant it as a compliment but it made me kind of uncomfortable, like   
he knew me better than I knew me.   
  
Maybe he did at that.  
  
After all here I was, a hero in spite of myself. And it looked   
like I'd be hanging around this bunch of idealists for a while yet.   
For some reason I kind of wanted to live up to my new status. Besides   
Luke and Her Worship were so darned proud of me, I couldn't let them down.  
  
And there was the old man to consider too. By now I knew there   
was no chance of taking him home to Tatooine. Okay, it's a hellhole   
but at least he'd been safe there.  
  
Anybody could see General Skywalker thought the world of him -and   
the kid practically worshipped the ground he walked on. Same deal   
for old Dodonna and Her Royal Heightyness, but I didn't trust any   
of them to - well - take care of him.  
  
Yeah, yeah, I know. He was General Obi-Wan Kenobi, I'd seen what   
he could do. But he was just too old for this kind of thing and I had   
a real bad feeling about what might happen to him if there wasn't   
somebody sensible around to - well - protect him from his legend. If   
you know what I mean.  
****  
  
Even as I dreamed I knew it was more than a dream, that Owen was   
really there with me, that the Force was giving us a final chance   
to say all the things we'd left unsaid.  
  
We seemed to be sitting on boulders at the edge of the Jundland   
Waste, neutral ground neither his nor mine. I spoke first.  
  
"I'm sorry, Owen."  
  
He shook his head. "It wasn't your fault." a wry grimace. "Had   
nothing to do with you, it was those droids."  
  
"Anakin's droids."  
  
"Yeah, I figured out that much. Maybe if I'd taken them to you -"  
  
"The stormtroopers would have caught us all." I interupted.  
  
He thought about it, nodded slowly. "Yeah, they might've at that.   
I guess it was for the best then. Luke got away, that's what counts."  
  
The one thing we'd always agreed on.  
  
"I didn't mean it," he said suddenly, "I wouldn't really have sold   
you to the Hutts. You knew that didn't you, Obi-Wan?"  
  
"Of course I did." My feelings had told me it was an empty threat.   
  
"Then why did you stay away?"  
  
Why had I? "Because it was what you wanted. I owed you that much.  
  
Owen made another grimace. "I hate to think what Anakin must be   
thinking about me."  
  
"He understands. You were trying to protect Luke, he certainly doesn't   
blame you for that."  
  
"You warned me I wouldn't be able to hide him forever. So did Beru."  
  
"The Force was bound to take a hand sooner or later. It's his destiny,   
Owen."  
  
"Destiny be damned!" he snapped. "And your Force too." Caught himself.   
"Sorry, I don't mean that."  
  
"Yes you do." I smiled. "There've been times I've felt the same."  
  
He looked at me, astonishment giving way to a new understanding.   
"It was hard for you wasn't it?"  
  
"Harder than you'll ever know."   
  
"I wish I'd realized." he almost whispered. Then, earnestly. "I never   
blamed you, Obi-Wan, even if it looked like I did. They took you away,   
you didn't choose to go. I always knew that. It's just - I missed   
having a brother."  
  
"So did I." I managed, blinking back tears.  
  
He held out his hand and I gripped it tightly.  
  
"Take care of Luke for us."  
  
"I will."  
  
"And good luck." he grinned suddenly. "You're going to need it!"  
****  
  
Anakin Skywalker: "Ani?"  
  
I looked up from Artoo's blasted shell to see Qui-Gon, my old Master,   
shimmering softly in the shadows of my workshop.  
  
"Have you seen him?" I demanded, "have you seen what I've done to   
him?"  
  
"What you did?" the eyebrows lifted, the soft voice gently chiding.   
"And of course I've seen Obi-Wan, many times, I'm very proud of him."  
  
"He's old." I whispered miserably.  
  
"He'd be old no matter where he spent the last twenty years." Master   
pointed out reasonably.  
  
I threw the spanner I was holding across the room. It hit the wall   
with a bang and the floor with a clang. Qui-Gon didn't so much as blink.  
  
"But not like that!" I fought to regain control of myself. Managed   
to pick up another tool and tried to resume work on Artoo. "The greatest   
Jedi Knight living and I ruined him, Master. Forced him to waste twenty   
years of his life on that desolate sandpile."  
  
"Obi-Wan doesn't consider those years wasted." my Master replied calmly.  
  
He came and knelt down beside me, laying a cool, transparent hand   
on my arm. "He hasn't diminished, Ani, he's grown. Let go of your   
memory of what he was and see what he's become." gave me a little   
shake. "And stop indulging your propensity for guilt! Remember,'without   
remorse, without regret'."  
  
"I'll try, Master." but it wouldn't be easy.  
*****  
  
A few final adjustments and Artoo came alive, emitting a stream   
of high pitched electronic insults impuning the sanity of the entire   
Skywalker family - especially me.   
  
I pretended to be shocked. "Artoo Detoo, such language! What kind   
of droids have you been associating with?"  
  
He told me, and reminded me whose fault it was. Then he noticed   
Threepio turned off in the corner.  
  
"Oh he's all right. I had to shut him down before he overloaded   
his circuits. He was very upset, you know how fond he is of you."  
  
Artoo admitted the feeling was mutual and was I sure Threepio was   
all right?  
  
"Of course I'm sure. Now I'm going to shut you down too so the   
new connections can fuse. I'll bring you both back up in the morning   
good as new."  
  
He whistled assent and I switched off his powercenter. "Sleep well,   
little friend."  
  
"You fixed him."  
  
I looked up, startled, to see my son watching me from the doorway.   
My focus was shot, I hadn't sensed him at all.  
  
"I've had a lot of practice putting this little droid back together."   
I said, recovering. "Threepio too for that matter."  
  
"I'm glad." He moved into the room but kept his distance. "I've   
never met droids like them. They're almost like - people."  
  
"That's because they haven't had their memory banks washed clean   
every four or five years." I told him getting to my feet, careful   
to let him maintain his space. I know how intimidating my size can   
be. "Most droids aren't given the chance to develop a personality."  
  
"You've had them a long time?" he obviously wanted to talk. A good   
sign, I hadn't missed his ambivalence towards me, the father who'd   
abandoned him.  
  
"Since I was nine years old." I answered, leaning against the edge   
of my workbench. The droids were a nice, safe subject. We could move   
on to more delicate ground later. "I put Threepio together myself   
from salvaged parts but your mother gave me Artoo."  
  
he blinked. "You met my mother when you were *nine*?"  
  
"M'hm." I smiled at the memory. "Watto called me into the shop   
one day and there she was, the most beautiful girl in the entire universe.   
I knew right then I'd marry her someday. Of course *she* didn't believe   
it, being fourteen to my nine."  
  
"You told her?" our son asked incredulously.   
  
He had a point. I shrugged embarrassed. "I thought she should know.   
She was travelling with two Jedi Knights, Master Qui-Gon Jinn and   
his apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi."  
  
"Ben?"  
  
I nodded. "He wasn't much older than you at the time. Master Qui-Gon   
sensed the Force was strong in me and bought my freedom from   
Watto so  
I could be trained as a Jedi." of course it hadn't been anywhere near   
that simple but this wasn't the time to go into all that.  
  
"Bought!" Luke blurted. "You were a *slave*?"  
  
It was my turn to be surprised. "We both were, my mother and me.   
She didn't tell you?"  
  
"No! Gran said you'd worked for a junk dealer and raced pods when   
you were a kid - but nothing about being slaves!"  
  
"Maybe she thought I'd rather you didn't know. I was ashamed of   
it as a boy."  
  
"What did *you* have to be ashamed of?" Luke demanded indignantly.  
  
I shrugged again. "We were looked down on, treated like chattel,   
not people. That hurt my pride. It was years before I could let go   
of my anger." and not before it had cost my Master his life.  
  
Luke moved closer. He was little more than an armslength away now.   
"When did you marry Mother?"  
  
"After the war, when I was just a little older than you. She'll   
be here soon. I just hope she got my message telling her Leia's safe."   
should I tell my son about his sister?  
  
"My mother's alive?"   
  
Another surprise, but then Obi-Wan wouldn't have had time for much   
family history. "Yes, thank the Force."   
  
So much to tell him, where to start? "It was Palpatine who married   
us."  
  
Luke's jaw dropped.  
  
"We considered him a friend in those days. It was quite a shock   
when we finally learned the truth. Not long before you were born."   
I decided not to tell him about Leia, not til I could discuss it with   
Padme.  
  
"Your mother went home to Naboo for your birth. It's a small, out   
of the way planet we assumed she - and you - would be safe there.   
We were wrong. The Emperor sent his Sith Apprentice and a detachment   
of Red guards to assassinate her. A lot of innocent people, most of   
them friends of ours, were killed. Your mother's best friend, Obi-Wan's   
wife, died defending the two of you and we nearly lost him too."  
  
Luke stared round eyed. "Ben's *wife*?"   
  
"Her name was Sabe. Ken-Jin is their son."  
  
*My* son was begining to look bewildered. I decided to sum up and   
leave the rest for later.  
  
"After that we knew there was no safety for any of us while Palpatine   
lived. But he didn't know about you and we wanted to keep it that   
way. That's why we sent you to my mother and the Larses on Tatooine,   
along with Obi-Wan to watch over you from a distance."  
****  
  
"Ben!" Luke greeeted me the next morning with evident relief. "You're   
looking better, a lot better."  
  
"Thank you." I said, a little drily. I couldn't return the compliment.   
The boy had circles under his eyes, I doubted he'd slept much. The   
accumulated shocks of the last few days were begining to catch up   
with him.   
  
"We were really worried about you last night." he rattled on. "Leia   
and me, even Han. Father said you'd be okay after you got some sleep."  
  
"As you can see he was right. Where is Anakin?"  
  
"Jedi training hall. He said to join him when you were ready."  
  
"I'm ready."  
*****  
  
Captain Solo joined us on the way, emerging from a side corridor   
trailed by his Wookiee shadow. Han gave me an intent look then nodded,   
satisfied. "You look better."  
  
"So I've been told."  
  
"Hey, you should have seen yourself last night, General, I've seen   
healthier looking corpses." he fell into step with us. "Where're we   
going?"  
  
"The Jedi training hall." I replied.  
  
Han seemed surprised. He looked past me at Luke. "I thought you'd   
decided to -"  
  
"There's Threepio and Artoo." my student interupted quickly.   
  
The two droids were standing next to the door to the hall. "Good   
to see you back in one piece, little friend." I told Artoo.  
  
He whistled amiably in reply.  
  
"Artoo says he's doing nicely, thank you sir." Threepio interpreted.   
"And may I say how glad we both are to see you've fully recovered, General."  
  
"Thank you." I said as graciously as I could manage. 'You're looking   
better.' was quickly joining 'Are you all right?' and 'I thought you   
were dead.' on my ever lengthening list of lines I was very tired   
of hearing.  
  
Anakin gave me the by now familiar assessing look, opened his mouth -  
  
"Don't say it." I warned.  
  
He didn't. Instead he grinned and suggested a sparring match. "Give   
Ken-Jin a chance to see his old man in action."  
  
I was afraid he'd be disappointed, and Anakin as well. "I'm badly   
out of practice" I warned. "Old and slow."  
  
"Good." was the calm reply. "Maybe I can win for a change."  
  
After the first few passes I could see Anakin was disturbed. Caution   
and defensive tactics were *not* like the Obi-Wan he remembered. But   
he'd have to accept I wasn't that man any more.  
  
On the other hand I was pleased by the way his style had matured.   
He would never be the swordsman our Master had been but then few Jedi were.  
  
Still he was much better than competent and I didn't doubt more   
than a match for most opponents.  
****  
  
Ken-Jin Kenobi: I admit I was disappointed. The skill was still there,   
no question of that, but this wasn't the kind of swordplay that had   
made my father a legend.  
  
He'd said it himself: he was old and twenty years out of practice.   
It was unreasonable to expect the kind of performance he'd been capable   
of his prime.  
  
Then I saw Master give him an opening, a little too obviously.  
****  
  
Anakin Skywalker: I knew I'd made a mistake. He stepped back and gave   
me that look. The one that said he was about to teach the unspanked cub   
a lesson.  
*****  
  
Old and slow I may have become but I'll be five days dead before   
I need charity from the likes of Anakin Skywalker!  
  
Impulsively I went on the offensive, wiping aside his blade and   
aiming a horizontal strike at his midrif.   
  
He sidestepped it, barely, and tried to counter with a diagonal   
cut which I let slide off my blade and returned with an overhead cut.  
  
He retreated and I pursued wiping his guard aside for another try   
at an diagonal strike.  
  
The old energy came flowing back as I let go, stopped thinking   
and controlling and acted on instinct.  
  
Anakin continued to retreat, fighting defensively as we circled   
the hall. Suddenly he extinguished his sabre, spreading his hands   
in surrender.  
  
He was grining ear to ear, so was my son. Luke and Han looked stunned   
and I was a little dazed myself. Where had *that* come from?  
  
"Old and slow!" Anakin panted.  
  
"I - may have overstated." I admitted. My old self seemed to be   
coming back with a vengeance. Which was good, I needed those skills.   
But I didn't want to lose the gains I'd made as Old Ben either. Somehow   
I was going to have to combine the two, the man I was now with the   
man I'd been.  



	6. The End Of The Begining

"Ben, I've got something to tell you." Luke blurted  
suddenly on the walk back to our quarters. He fairly  
radiated guilt. It didn't take any great insight to  
guess what he was going to say. I braced myself to take it calmly.   
  
"I've decided to accept a commission in the Rebel  
Forces. So I won't be able to continue my lessons in  
the Force."   
  
"You must chose the path that feels right to you."   
I had complete control over my face and voice - but I  
couldn't fool Luke that easily, not after all those hours of rapport   
during the battle.   
  
He saw right through me, continued pleadingly.   
"Ben, this is something I can do *now*. The Alliance  
needs pilots."   
  
*We need Jedi too.* I thought but did not say. Struggled to get my   
emotions under control. "I admit  
I'm disappointed, Luke, you have the potential to be a  
great Jedi. But the Path must be freely chosen. If  
you've decided on another way I accept that." But it  
wasn't easy.   
  
"I'm sorry, Ben." he said miserably.   
  
I got myself in hand. This wasn't Luke's fault it was mine. "You   
must do what you feel is right." I said  
firmly.   
*****   
  
"It's my fault." I told Ani, sounding as miserable  
as Luke. "If I hadn't delayed his training he wouldn't  
have had to chose between the Alliance and the Jedi."   
  
A muffled voice came from under the V-wing. "Poodoo!"   
  
I blinked. "I beg your pardon?"   
  
Anakin slid out and sat up to give me a level look  
"Poodoo!" he repeated clearly. "I know you, Obi-Wan, I  
know how determined you are. If you'd felt Luke was  
ready to be trained you wouldn't have let Owen or  
anything else stop you."   
  
I started to answer, hesitated suddenly uncertain.  
I'd put off Luke's training in deference to Owen's  
feelings - hadn't I?   
  
"Luke's led a sheltered life," Ani continued, "he's  
been overprotected. I'm not blaming Owen and Beru for  
that but he's very young for his age. He needs to grow  
up a bit before he can choose the Path. You sensed  
that and held off."   
  
I sat down on a nearby crate to consider. Could Ani  
be right? Force knew I'd been reckless enough in my  
time. Why had I contented myself with watching over  
Luke from afar? Had it been caution - or an instinct   
I hadn't fully recognized?   
  
"He's already old for the training." I argued weakly.   
  
"Way too old." Anakin agreed. "So a few more years  
won't make much difference."   
  
"A few years?"   
  
He smiled at the hopeful note in my voice. "At   
most. He will chose the Path, Obi-Wan. It is the destiny he was born   
for. He will come to it in his own time."   
  
I breathed, letting guilt and uncertainty drain  
away. I would be patient and trust in the Force.  
Smiled at Anakin, he had indeed grown. "Whatever you say, Master."   
****  
  
Ken-Jin Kenobi: I admit I was pleased when Master told me Luke'd   
decided to accept the commission Dodonna'd offered him. Nothing against   
the kid but he'd already taken up enough of my father's time - twenty   
years of it. I wanted a chance to get to know Obi-Wan Kenobi as a man   
instead of a legend. And I didn't want to have to compete with a Padawan   
for his attention!   
  
But I wasn't jealous of Luke anymore. Not since the battle. Forced   
to choose between us Father's first though had been for me. Maybe it was   
unJedilike to be glad I counted for more than his duty - but I didn't   
care, it had made me very happy.  
  
It didn't occur to me until much later that I was right between Luke   
and Master Anakin, exactly as I'd feared Luke might come between me and   
Father.  
*****  
  
The moment the transport landed Ani was striding  
across the hanger deck towards it. Luke stayed by me,  
visibly jittering. His mother had arrived.   
  
She came down the ramp and disappeared for a moment  
into Anakin's embrace but quickly broke loose, almost  
running across the deck to her son. Ani could barely  
keep pace with her - the rest of her party didn't even try.   
  
"Luke!" she reached us, putting her small hands on  
his shoulders and looking up at him with tears in  
those beautiful eyes and a smile on that lovely  
face. "Oh, my baby son - all grown up and handsome as his father!"   
standing on tiptoe she kissed his cheek.   
  
"Mother." Luke returned the kiss awkwardly but with  
none of the reserve he still showed towards his father. Obviously his   
dainty little mother was far  
less intimidating.   
*****   
  
Luke Skywalker: Father had called her the most  
beautiful girl in the universe. She wasn't a girl  
anymore, but she surely was beautiful - and familiar  
somehow. I could almost fool myself into thinking I  
remembered her from when I was baby.   
****   
  
Padme managed to tear her eyes away from her son  
long enough to smile at me. "Obi-Wan, thank you."   
  
"You are more than welcome." I returned, with a  
smile of my own.   
  
By now the rest of the party had caught up with  
her. "That Obi-One? Yousa gotten *old*!"   
  
Jar Jar Binks, master of tact.   
  
"As have you, my friend" I replied pointedly.   
  
"Old, old." he agreed, eyes widening guilessly. "Meesa got   
*grandchildren*!"   
  
Now there was a thought. When I first met Jar Jar  
Binks he was a clumsy adolescent no self respecting  
Gungan female would look at twice. And I'd been a  
stiff, arrogant young Jedi with a pitifully narrow  
focus. How Master put up with me I'll never know. We'd both changed -   
for the better I hoped.   
  
Jar Jar was a gawkily thin as ever though his  
orange pigmented skin was begining to fade in patches. The long coat he   
wore covered most of his scars - all but the one ragged ear. I smiled   
up at him. "It's good to see you again, old friend."   
  
"Good to see Obi-One too." I was half smothered by  
a Gungan embrace, then he released me and turned his  
attention to Luke. "Yousa gotten big." rolled an eye back at Anakin.   
"But not as big as Ani!"   
  
"Thank goodness." Padme chimed in, continued to  
her son. "When I first met your father he was so tall -  
" held a hand a meter or so above the deck. " - the  
next time I see him, he's - that!" waved up at her  
towering husband.   
  
"It was ten years later!" he protested. "I grew up."   
  
"And up and up." Rabe teased, throwing me a wink.  
Eirte, beside her, grinned wickedly.   
  
"There's nothing wrong with being tall." Ani huffed.   
  
"As long as you stay out of waste pipes." I said,  
joining the fun.   
  
He rolled his eyes. "You are *never* going to let  
me forget that are you, Obi-Wan?"   
  
"Never." I assured him.   
****   
  
Leia and Han joined us at the hanger door. Padme hugged her   
daughter. "Oh, Leia, I'm so sorry." she  
said into the coil of hair over one ear.   
  
The princess blinked back tears, struggling to keep  
her composure. "I know. Let's not talk about it now,  
please."   
  
There would be a later, Padme would see to that. Leia was determined   
to keep up a brave face for Luke  
and Han and her father and me but she'd be able to let  
go and cry with her mother for all she'd lost.   
  
Pulling away she continued brightly. "You're just  
in time for the decoration ceremony."   
  
"Decorations?" Padme queried.   
  
"I'm awarding the Gold of Valor to Luke and Captain Solo - for their   
part in the destruction of the Death Star."   
  
"I'm Solo." Han put in, took the hand Padme offered him. "Pleased to   
meet you, ma'am."   
  
She smiled brilliantly up at him. "And I to meet you, Captain. I'm   
told I owe you my son's life. Thank you."   
  
Han was clearly dazzled. "It was my pleasure."   
****   
  
Han Solo: Old enough to be my mother as well as the  
kid's but still one of the most beautiful women I'd  
ever seen. Skywalker had great taste - not to mention  
luck. And the lady had class as well as looks. I hoped   
her Royal Heightyness was taking notes..   
****   
  
"What about Ben?" Luke protested. "We'd never have  
gotten off the Death Star if it weren't for him."   
  
"Jedi never accept decorations or honors." I told him.   
  
"One of the advantages to being a Jedi." Ani put in.   
  
Han snorted. "Guess it's way to late for me to join."   
  
I looked at him consideringly. He was certainly old for the   
training, with a lifetime of habits and  
attitudes to unlearn, but the Force was strong with  
him - I wondered what his midichlorion count might be - maybe....   
  
He registered alarm. "Hey, General, that was a joke."   
  
"I know." I said, in my best impenetrable manner.   
  
He was not reassured.   
****  
  
"General Kenobi?"  
  
I looked at the middle aged man across the tactical  
display, mentally subtracted twenty years and smiled  
recognition. "Carlist Rieekan, it's good to see you  
again."  
  
He took my hand visibly struggling against strong  
emotion. Like everybody else who'd known the old Obi-Wan he was finding   
the present incarnation distressing.  
  
"You're with our reinforcements, Colonel?" I asked,  
reading his rank patch.  
  
Rebel units had been pouring in over the last few days. We knew we'd   
have to abandon Yavin base soon but  
Anakin and Dodonna were determined not to move without  
a good fighter cover, and we'd lost all but three  
pilots to the Death Star.  
  
Rieekan shook his head. "I've brough what's left of the White Legion   
to join her Royal Highness."  
  
Of course. Carlist was an old Legionnaire, he'd served with me   
during the Clone Wars. Many Alderaanian  
veterans had chosen to settle on other planets of the  
system or outlying colonies. Survivors had been coming  
in along with the reinforcements, rallying to their Princess.  
  
"We thought you were dead." It wasn't an accusation - quite.  
  
"I know. I'm sorry. It was safer that way."  
  
Rieekan shook his head. "You look like hell,  
where've you been all these years?"  
  
"Tatooine."  
  
His eyes widened. "General Skywalker's homeworld?  
That was a heck of a place to hide."  
  
"It was perfect." I corrected. "Out of the way, not   
under direct Imperial control," I smiled, "and so obvious Palpatine   
would never think to look there."  
  
He grinned faintly in response. "Like Kettlebray."  
  
"Exactly." I'd quartered my landing force in a   
ruined fortress, destroyed by the Mandalore when they'd taken the   
planet. As I'd expected it was the  
one place they'd never searched.   
  
Carlist still hadn't let go of my hand. "The men'd  
like to see you."  
  
"And I them." I said as warmly as I could.  
*****  
  
To be honest I wasn't all that eager. For reasons never completely   
clear to me the Legionnaires had developed a fierce personal loyalty   
for their general  
which I'd often found very difficult to cope with.  
  
It was almost as bad as I'd feared. Rieekan's dismay and distress   
magnified a thousand times over.   
Admittedly I've aged but surely I don't look all that   
bad - do I? I kept my countenance somehow and the emotional atmosphere   
eased as I began to talk one on   
one with the men, remembering faces and names, being   
introduced to sons and nephews.  
  
Then the door to the big assembly room opened. It   
was Leia, looking astonishingly like her mother in an   
all white uniform hair braided and coiled around her   
head. The likeness reinforced by the presence of Rabe and Eirte a half   
pace behind on either side of her.  
  
The men cheered. Leia took it like a queen, bowing   
acknowledgement then holding out her hands to Rieekan   
with a smile that got a second cheer all its own.   
  
I faded gratefully into the background, watching like a proud   
grandfather as Leia welcomed her Legion   
and made the necessary arrangements for quarters and   
rations. Every inch her mother's daughter, and her   
father's too.  
  
I followed the three women back out into the   
corridor. "Was I all right?" Leia asked Rabe.  
  
"Perfect." was the answer, with a hug.  
  
"Your father and mother would be proud of you."   
Eirte added.  
  
All four of them. "You give your people hope,   
Leia," I told her gently, "and purpose. A reason to go   
on living."  
  
She pulled away from Rabe to wipe her eyes. "Thank   
you, General, they're doing the same for me." Gave us   
all a determined smile and marched off down the passage.  
  
"Amidala's girl through and through." I said.  
  
Eirte nodded. "She'll be all right as long as she's   
got a job of work to do."  
  
"Poor little girl." from Rabe.  
  
"Don't let her hear you say that." I warned.   
Adding, appropo of nothing. "The Legion was almost in   
tears at the sight of me just now. Do I look that   
terrible?"  
  
And got a prolonged scrutiny from brown and blue   
eyes. I was begining to regret the question when Eirte   
smiled.  
  
"Not bad at all - for an old man."  
  
I returned the smile. "I am an old man."  
  
"And we're a pair of old women." Rabe sighed taking   
one arm as Eirte took the other.  
  
We strolled. "I can't say I've noticed much change." I said blandly.   
"As lovely as ever the both   
of you."  
  
I was answered by delighted if disbelieving snorts. "You always were   
a flatterer Obi-Wan Kenobi."   
said Eirte.  
  
"A Jedi speaks only the truth." I assured them   
solemnly and was pierced by a pair of skeptical   
looks. "Unless an untruth is absolutely necessary - for tactical   
reasons." I conceeded.  
  
"You were always very good at thinking up 'tactical reasons',   
Obi-Wan." from Rabe. "Sabe used to say -"   
she broke off abruptly in some confusion.  
  
"It's all right to speak of her." I said quietly. "In fact I hope   
you have, often, to Ken-jin."  
  
"You didn't seem to want to hear her name when you   
left." Eirte reminded me.  
  
"That was twenty years ago. I didn't dare think  
about her then, there was too much that had to be   
done." I smiled reassuringly at Rabe. "It's good to   
hear her name again, from somebody else who loved her."  
  
"We told Ken-jin everything we can remember about   
his mother," she assured me seriously, "from the day the three of us   
entered Princess Amidala's service."  
  
Eirte snickered. "Well not quite *everything*."  
  
Rabe grinned wickedly. "Right. There are a few stories Sabe   
*wouldn't* want her son to hear."  
  
"Such as?" I asked, intrigued.  
  
More snickers. "She wouldn't want you to hear them either!" said   
Eirte.  
*****  
  
I was still speculating over what my sweet wife could possibly have   
done in her short life that she   
wouldn't want me or our son to hear about as I entered   
the room I was sharing with Luke. The possibilities   
were legion.  
  
I found my erstwhile student inside, staring dreamily into the   
distance. "Leia's my *sister*." were   
the first words out of his mouth.  
  
So they'd decided to tell him.  
  
"We're twins. Mother and Father split us up for safety. She even   
looks like Gran, but like Mother too.  
You know the minute I saw her holograph I *knew* we   
were connected somehow, that I had to find her - help her."  
  
I sat down. Obviously no response was required,  
just a listening ear.  
  
"We've decided not to say anything to Leia just yet." he continued   
earnestly. "I've always been a   
Skywalker but she'd lose her name and her title and   
that's about all she's got left now."  
  
"And the Alderaanians need their princess." I pointed out.   
  
"That too. The time isn't right. We'll know when it   
is, the Force will tell us."  
  
Us. I silently congratulated Padme on a diplomatic   
coup equal to any she'd brought off for the Alliance.   
In a few short hours she'd turned her husband and long   
lost son into a family. It had been clever to take   
Luke into their confidence about his sister and   
include him in the decision of what to tell Leia.   
  
I agreed with them of course. This was not the time   
to confuse the poor girl with a whole new family   
before she'd had a chance to properly mourn the old   
one. But Leia was as strong in the Force as her brother. Given time she   
might well intuit the truth   
for herself, when she was ready to face it.  
*****  
  
"If you'll step over here please, General Kenobi,   
General Skywalker, - yes that's right, next to Jedi   
Kenobi." Willard hurried off to position the rest of  
the official party on the dais at the far end of the  
soaring hall in which the decorations ceremony was to   
be held.   
  
Leia took her place at the center, dressed in a   
smooth white gown with a silver necklace and her hair   
coiled into a high crown atop her head. Padme stood at   
her daughter's left hand, Rabe and Eirte behind them,   
all three in soft green, with lace veils shadowing   
their faces. Jar Jar, Dodonna and several other general officers were   
grouped at the far left. We   
three Jedi were on Leia's right with Artoo and   
Threepio standing among the lesser officers behind us.  
  
Willard stepped back to view the final effect,   
nodded satisfied and signalled for the doors to be   
opened.   
  
The pilots and crews of the new fighter squadrons,  
the White Legion, Alderaanian Royal Guard, technicians   
and support troops marched through the massive portal,   
down the steps and up the long hall to salute the   
Princess then fall into ranks on either side of a central aisle.  
  
A long pause. Then the doors opened again this time   
to admit three figures, small with distance. Luke, Han   
and Chewbacca.  
  
"Are you serious about training Solo as a Jedi?"   
Ani asked softly as they began the long walk to the   
dais.  
  
"I don't know yet. Perhaps." Han had a destiny, I'd   
seen that the minute I'd met him. But whether it   
included becoming a Jedi was not yet clear.  
  
Anakin shook his head. "Talk about starting late!"  
  
"I think perhaps we've been a little too dogmatic on that point." I   
responded.  
  
He gave me a startled look. The Obi-Wan Kenobi he   
remembered hadn't been in the habit of questioning tradition.  
  
The boys climbed the steps of the dais to stand before the Princess.   
Behind them the troops pivoted to   
face front.  
  
Leia looked down at them, haughtily regal. Luke   
grinned up at his sister and she broke down grinning back. She took the   
medals Padme handed her, hung one around Han's neck, the other around   
Luke's. I   
could swear I saw Solo wink at her.  
  
Luke gave his mother a smile, with another for his father and me   
that turned into a laugh as Artoo   
emitted a shrill, excited whistle.  
  
Leia gestured for them to face the hall and the   
troops broke into applause.  
  
Suddenly Qui-Gon was beside me, translucent, softly   
glowing, beaming his approval. Padme turned to share a   
proud smile with her husband and her eyes widened. I   
realized she'd seen Master too. After a split second's   
shock the smile came back, even more brilliantly than   
before, meant for us all.  
  
I couldn't see her but I knew Sabe was watching   
too, and Yani, and Sache, and Bail, and Owen and Beru, and all the   
others who had died to make this moment possible.   
  
This wasn't the end but it was a begining for many things.  



End file.
